--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I started to play football as far I…" description: "\"When I started to play football as far I was concerned I just played football. I didn't want all the stuff around it, the press and that.\" — Nicolas An..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/nicolas-anelka-5255_far_when-i-started-to-play-football-as-far-i_456330.png" --- # When I started to play football as far I was concerned I… ![“When I started to play football as far I was concerned I just played football. I didn't want all the stuff around it, the press and that.” quote by Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/nicolas-anelka-5255_far_when-i-started-to-play-football-as-far-i_456330.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/nicolas-anelka-5255_far_when-i-started-to-play-football-as-far-i_456330.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/nicolas-anelka-5255_far_when-i-started-to-play-football-as-far-i_456330.png) > “When I started to play football as far I was concerned I just played football. I didn't want all the stuff around it, the press and that.” [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early focus on pure sport can be clouded by external pressures like media and expectations. **In simple terms:** Early love of sport can be distracted by fame. Key Takeaway Stay true to your original passion. Themes sports authenticity media pressure Mood reflective determined Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career planning - media training - mental health support - brand management Key Concepts sociology identity performance anxiety Questions to Reflect On - How can athletes balance passion with public scrutiny? - What strategies protect personal focus? A Different Perspective May downplay benefits of publicity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-football/) [Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/press/) ## Related quotes > [My seventh-grade year, I played football. I was, like, 15 pounds overweight, so I had to lose a ton of weight. They put me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-ertz/my-seventh-grade-year-i-played-football-i-was-like-15-pounds/) [Zach Ertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-ertz/) > [I was born in a mining village, and you either played football or played football. If you didn't play, there was something wrong with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hansen/i-was-born-in-a-mining-village-and-you-either-played-football-or/) [Alan Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hansen/) > [I started to play football when I was about 10; my father brought me to one school because there were more pitches where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-started-to-play-football-when-i-was-about-10-my-father-brought-me/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [I just wanted to play football and didn't get the chance in Germany in my second season there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gylfi-sigurdsson/i-just-wanted-to-play-football-and-didn-t-get-the-chance-in-germany/) [Gylfi Sigurdsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gylfi-sigurdsson/) > [From the age of seven, I knew I wanted to play football - I didn't think about it in a professional sense in terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-parris/from-the-age-of-seven-i-knew-i-wanted-to-play-football-i-didn-t-think/) [Nikita Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-parris/) > [Amongst all unimportant subjects, football is by far the most important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/amongst-all-unimportant-subjects-football-is-by-far-the-most-important/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [French football must go as far as possible in the Champions League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylian-mbappe/french-football-must-go-as-far-as-possible-in-the-champions-league/) [Kylian Mbappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylian-mbappe/) > [I love football. I really love football, As far as I'm concerned, it's the second best thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-namath/i-love-football-i-really-love-football-as-far-as-i-m-concerned-it-s/) [Joe Namath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-namath/) > [In my own opinion, psychology in football is far more important than anyone believes, including the coaches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/in-my-own-opinion-psychology-in-football-is-far-more-important-than/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [I've played rugby at school a bit. I didn't play football at school; I played football after school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gilmour/i-ve-played-rugby-at-school-a-bit-i-didn-t-play-football-at-school-i/) [David Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gilmour/) > [I learned to play football in the streets. Every day of school, everyone came and played football. The street is a good school, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-aguero/i-learned-to-play-football-in-the-streets-every-day-of-school/) [Sergio Aguero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-aguero/) > [I do have a son. He's out of school now. He never played football. And it had nothing to do with me. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mckee/i-do-have-a-son-he-s-out-of-school-now-he-never-played-football-and/) [Ann McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mckee/) > [When I played football was somewhat taboo for a girl. Today it's not as much of a problem. Not all girls want to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-powell/when-i-played-football-was-somewhat-taboo-for-a-girl-today-it-s-not/) [Hope Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-powell/) > [I wish I had started to play the ukulele much earlier in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-skinner/i-wish-i-had-started-to-play-the-ukulele-much-earlier-in-life/) [Frank Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-skinner/) > [I started to play the guitar for a couple of years, which was fun. I still bring it out once in a while, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-nowitzki/i-started-to-play-the-guitar-for-a-couple-of-years-which-was-fun-i/) [Dirk Nowitzki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-nowitzki/) ## More by Nicolas Anelka > [If you ask all the players who have played with me, they will never say anything wrong about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/if-you-ask-all-the-players-who-have-played-with-me-they-will-never/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [When you have been coached by Ancelotti and other greats, it's hard to be coached by Domenech!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/when-you-have-been-coached-by-ancelotti-and-other-greats-it-s-hard-to/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [I have been impressed by Carlo Ancelotti, Kevin Keegan, Arsene Wenger, Guus Hiddink, Christoph Daum and Sam Allardyce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/i-have-been-impressed-by-carlo-ancelotti-kevin-keegan-arsene-wenger/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [Bolton was a family club and I liked it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/bolton-was-a-family-club-and-i-liked-it/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [People must not lose sight of the fact that football is a game. I would find it healthy that it remain so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/people-must-not-lose-sight-of-the-fact-that-football-is-a-game-i/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [If, since the start, I'd played well and put in some good matches it would all have been too simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/if-since-the-start-i-d-played-well-and-put-in-some-good-matches-it/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [Being a coach is not the same as being a player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/being-a-coach-is-not-the-same-as-being-a-player/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [For me, ever since the South Africa World Cup, the French team is part of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/for-me-ever-since-the-south-africa-world-cup-the-french-team-is-part/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [When I was playing for Chelsea, it was always tough to beat Albion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/when-i-was-playing-for-chelsea-it-was-always-tough-to-beat-albion/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [I was very young in the past at Arsenal, at Real Madrid as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/i-was-very-young-in-the-past-at-arsenal-at-real-madrid-as-well/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [All I've ever wanted is to improve myself and become the best, which is the reason I joined Real in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/all-i-ve-ever-wanted-is-to-improve-myself-and-become-the-best-which/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [The club must come first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/the-club-must-come-first/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [Sometimes to rest, even to watch your team-mates from the bench, is not too bad. 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