---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you get onto the ball, people think…"
description: "\"When you get onto the ball, people think three or four times before deciding whether to try and tackle you. Your opponents respect you, and your marker..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/rivaldo-8342_four_when-you-get-onto-the-ball-people-think_556062.jpg"
---

#  When you get onto the ball, people think three or four…

![“When you get onto the ball, people think three or four times before deciding whether to try and tackle you. Your opponents respect you, and your markers give you a couple of metres of space.” quote by Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/rivaldo-8342_four_when-you-get-onto-the-ball-people-think_556062.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/rivaldo-8342_four_when-you-get-onto-the-ball-people-think_556062.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/rivaldo-8342_four_when-you-get-onto-the-ball-people-think_556062.jpg)

> “When you get onto the ball, people think three or four times before deciding whether to try and tackle you. Your opponents respect you, and your markers give you a couple of metres of space.”

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Your skill forces opponents to hesitate, granting you space and respect on the field.

**In simple terms:** Skill creates hesitation and space.

Key Takeaway

Use confidence to command space.

Themes

confidence respect strategy

Mood

determined focused

Type

motivational strategic

When to use this quote

- soccer matches
- team sports
- leadership training

Key Concepts

psychology anticipation space creation

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you maintain composure when pressured?
- What tactics increase your influence?

A Different Perspective

Opponents may still tackle aggressively despite hesitation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Opponents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opponents/) [Opponents Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opponents-respect-1303473/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-think/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Tackle Opponents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tackle-opponents-4619695/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Try Tackle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-tackle-786324/)

## Related quotes

> [Going up against a great champion like Cavani, giving each other hell for 90 minutes, then being able to walk off as opponents who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-chiellini/going-up-against-a-great-champion-like-cavani-giving-each-other-hell/)

[Giorgio Chiellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-chiellini/)

> [It's great to win, but it's also great fun just to be in the thick of any truly well and hard fought contest against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/it-s-great-to-win-but-it-s-also-great-fun-just-to-be-in-the-thick-of/)

[Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/)

> [I don't know any player who, when they see Randy Moss get the ball, is not going to decide, 'I'm going to go full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-clark/i-don-t-know-any-player-who-when-they-see-randy-moss-get-the-ball-is/)

[Ryan Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-clark/)

> [If you're afraid of something, you definitely have to try to tackle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnathon-schaech/if-you-re-afraid-of-something-you-definitely-have-to-try-to-tackle-it/)

[Johnathon Schaech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnathon-schaech/)

> [We try to tackle the world. God has given us grace to handle what's right in front of us. Take baby steps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-try-to-tackle-the-world-god-has-given-us-grace-to-handle-what-s/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [A Warrior of Light never resorts to trickery, but he knows how to distract his opponent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/a-warrior-of-light-never-resorts-to-trickery-but-he-knows-how-to/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [No matter who our opponents are, or who we are playing against, we want to win the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/no-matter-who-our-opponents-are-or-who-we-are-playing-against-we-want/)

[David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/)

> [While opponents label (Howard) Dean a throwback liberal, The New York Times recently noted that as governor, Dean cut income taxes, reformed welfare and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/while-opponents-label-howard-dean-a-throwback-liberal-the-new-york/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/)

[Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/)

> [You run the football for toughness. You run the ball to tell your opponent that you're as tough as they are. But you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-glanville/you-run-the-football-for-toughness-you-run-the-ball-to-tell-your/)

[Jerry Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-glanville/)

> [Violence is what people do when they run out of good ideas. It's attractive because it's simple, it's direct, it's almost always available as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/violence-is-what-people-do-when-they-run-out-of-good-ideas-it-s/)

[James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/)

> [The first duty of a wise advocate is to convince his opponents that he understands their arguments, and sympathies with their just feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-first-duty-of-a-wise-advocate-is-to-convince-his-opponents-that/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/)

[Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/)

> [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/)

[Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/)

## More by Rivaldo

> [I've played lots of games carrying an injury, but people don't value what I do for Barcelona.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/i-ve-played-lots-of-games-carrying-an-injury-but-people-don-t-value/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [If Neymar doesn't leave PSG, he will never win anything important. Especially the Champions League, which is the most important competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/if-neymar-doesn-t-leave-psg-he-will-never-win-anything-important/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [I advise everyone with plans to visit Brazil for the Olympics in Rio - to stay home. You'll be putting your life at risk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/i-advise-everyone-with-plans-to-visit-brazil-for-the-olympics-in-rio/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [It's not easy to win a Cup. Brazil spent a long time, over 20 years, before winning it, so it's not easy. The Cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/it-s-not-easy-to-win-a-cup-brazil-spent-a-long-time-over-20-years/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [Neymar will not return to Barcelona. It was a very difficult situation for him there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/neymar-will-not-return-to-barcelona-it-was-a-very-difficult-situation/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [I know nothing about meetings between clubs, and I don't want to know anything about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/i-know-nothing-about-meetings-between-clubs-and-i-don-t-want-to-know/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [It's impossible to describe Messi. I like him so much, and I always say I feel so sad because he never won the World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/it-s-impossible-to-describe-messi-i-like-him-so-much-and-i-always-say/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [Barcelona is one of the best teams in the world. When you play in a team like this, you have more chance to show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/barcelona-is-one-of-the-best-teams-in-the-world-when-you-play-in-a/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [Everyone here at Milan knows that my physical fitness is among the best in the squad; I always stand out in the tests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/everyone-here-at-milan-knows-that-my-physical-fitness-is-among-the/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [I don't like Van Gaal, and I am sure he doesn't like me, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/i-don-t-like-van-gaal-and-i-am-sure-he-doesn-t-like-me-either/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [I will never forget the hunger I used to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/i-will-never-forget-the-hunger-i-used-to-feel/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [When I came to Spain, people thought I would fly home again after the holidays, stay up all night celebrating, and would have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/when-i-came-to-spain-people-thought-i-would-fly-home-again-after-the/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [I don't think about being a goalscorer. Basically, it doesn't interest me. It's nice to score, of course, but I don't go round thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/i-don-t-think-about-being-a-goalscorer-basically-it-doesn-t-interest/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [It gives me great pleasure to see my name linked with clubs like Manchester United and Milan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/it-gives-me-great-pleasure-to-see-my-name-linked-with-clubs-like/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [I became famous when I scored that goal for Mogi Mirim direct from the kick-off against Noroeste. It was 18 April 1993, if I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/i-became-famous-when-i-scored-that-goal-for-mogi-mirim-direct-from/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

[Explore all 81 Rivaldo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

## More Four quotes

> [With young kids (I have four including the newborn) times passes weirdly for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-s-kemp/with-young-kids-i-have-four-including-the-newborn-times-passes/)

[Paul S. Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-s-kemp/)

> [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/)

[Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/)

> [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/)

[Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/)

> [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/)

[Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/)

> [I always loved as a kid reading 'Spider-Man,' and the 'Fantastic Four' would show up... it was all about that larger universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-reed/i-always-loved-as-a-kid-reading-spider-man-and-the-fantastic-four/)

[Peyton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-reed/)

> [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [I remember my friend Johnny von Neumann used to say, 'with four parameters I can fit an elephant and with five I can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-fermi/i-remember-my-friend-johnny-von-neumann-used-to-say-with-four/)

[Enrico Fermi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-fermi/)

> [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/)

[Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/)

> [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/)

[Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/)

> [I don't think you should ever say, 'This is the last time'. Music isn't like that. You'll be sitting there not wishing to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-daltrey/i-don-t-think-you-should-ever-say-this-is-the-last-time-music-isn-t/)

[Roger Daltrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-daltrey/)

> [I'd love to have three or four kids. But my mom always says: "Speak to me after you have your first".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivanka-trump/i-d-love-to-have-three-or-four-kids-but-my-mom-always-says-speak-to/)

[Ivanka Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivanka-trump/)

> [I was born in Cuba. At the age of 14 years of age I was involved in a revolution. We were suffering from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-born-in-cuba-at-the-age-of-14-years-of-age-i-was-involved-in-a/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

> [When we read a story, we inhabit it. The covers of the book are like a roof and four walls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/when-we-read-a-story-we-inhabit-it-the-covers-of-the-book-are-like-a/)

[John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/)

> [Right now I'm doing four shows at a time, trying to read four outlines every week, four scripts every week, and watching four rough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-spelling/right-now-i-m-doing-four-shows-at-a-time-trying-to-read-four-outlines/)

[Aaron Spelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-spelling/)

[Browse all 7,977 Four quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When you get onto the ball, people think three or four times before deciding whether to try and tackle you. Your opponents respect you, and your markers give you a couple of metres of space.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rivaldo"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/when-you-get-onto-the-ball-people-think-three-or-four-times-before/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Four"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/when-you-get-onto-the-ball-people-think-three-or-four-times-before/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/rivaldo-8342_four_when-you-get-onto-the-ball-people-think_556062.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/rivaldo-8342_four_when-you-get-onto-the-ball-people-think_556062.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/rivaldo-8342_four_when-you-get-onto-the-ball-people-think_556062.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When you get onto the ball, people think three or four times before deciding whether to try and tackle you…” — Rivaldo",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Rivaldo",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When you get onto the ball,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/when-you-get-onto-the-ball-people-think-three-or-four-times-before/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/when-you-get-onto-the-ball-people-think-three-or-four-times-before/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
