--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started out as a defender. I played as…" description: "\"I started out as a defender. I played as a full-back, and then I moved into the centre. I played defence right the way through until the Under-18s. Hon..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/roberto-firmino-8978_defence_i-started-out-as-a-defender-i-played-as_2106435.jpg" --- # I started out as a defender. I played as a full-back, and… ![“I started out as a defender. I played as a full-back, and then I moved into the centre. I played defence right the way through until the Under-18s. Honestly!” quote by Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/roberto-firmino-8978_defence_i-started-out-as-a-defender-i-played-as_2106435.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/roberto-firmino-8978_defence_i-started-out-as-a-defender-i-played-as_2106435.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/roberto-firmino-8978_defence_i-started-out-as-a-defender-i-played-as_2106435.jpg) > “I started out as a defender. I played as a full-back, and then I moved into the centre. I played defence right the way through until the Under-18s. Honestly!” [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes his progression from a full‑back to a central defender, highlighting adaptability and growth through experience. **In simple terms:** He moved from defending the wings to the centre, learning as he went. Key Takeaway Embrace role changes and keep learning. Themes adaptability career development football tactics Mood reflective motivational Type sports career. When to use this quote - youth academy - professional debut - tactical shifts - coach feedback Key Concepts positional flexibility skill evolution team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How did the shift affect your confidence? - What skills helped you transition? A Different Perspective Changing positions can limit mastery of a single role. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) ## Related quotes > [There are some guys you have problems beating because of their style - I always had difficulties with guys like Michael Chang and Andre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-forget/there-are-some-guys-you-have-problems-beating-because-of-their-style/) [Guy Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-forget/) > [For me, the best defender I played against was Carles Puyol. He was my teammate, too, but my rival many times. Also, Roberto Ayala,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-villa/for-me-the-best-defender-i-played-against-was-carles-puyol-he-was-my/) [David Villa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-villa/) > [Best defender I have played against? Carles Puyol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesc-fabregas/best-defender-i-have-played-against-carles-puyol/) [Cesc Fabregas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesc-fabregas/) > [The key is developing your game in both directions: in the build-up, joining the attack at the right moment and also in defence. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-lahm/the-key-is-developing-your-game-in-both-directions-in-the-build-up/) [Philipp Lahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-lahm/) > [When I was younger, I played as a right-back. I also played as a central defender, but I realised that I could dominate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/when-i-was-younger-i-played-as-a-right-back-i-also-played-as-a/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [As a defender, you can be many shapes and sizes. You can be short and fast. Or you can be tall and jump high.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabio-cannavaro/as-a-defender-you-can-be-many-shapes-and-sizes-you-can-be-short-and/) [Fabio Cannavaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabio-cannavaro/) > [As a defender, it's really important to communicate with the players in front of you and next to you. It makes it easier for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/as-a-defender-it-s-really-important-to-communicate-with-the-players/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [I wasn't a defender and I didn't think of myself as one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalvin-phillips/i-wasn-t-a-defender-and-i-didn-t-think-of-myself-as-one/) [Kalvin Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalvin-phillips/) > [Street basketball is all about shakes and fakes, crossing your defender up. The NBA is more strategic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-davis/street-basketball-is-all-about-shakes-and-fakes-crossing-your/) [Baron Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-davis/) > [I'm Lou Barletta, and I'm a small town defender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barletta/i-m-lou-barletta-and-i-m-a-small-town-defender/) [Lou Barletta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barletta/) > [I'm not the strongest, I'm not the fastest, I can't jump the highest, so for me, it's doing it in other ways: changing paces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devin-booker/i-m-not-the-strongest-i-m-not-the-fastest-i-can-t-jump-the-highest-so/) [Devin Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devin-booker/) > [“I never took you for the defender of Sunday picnics and tea at five”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-jane-holloway/i-never-took-you-for-the-defender-of-sunday-picnics-and-tea-at-five/) [Emma Jane Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-jane-holloway/) > [I think Gary Cahill's very good. It's always tough against him. He's a great defender and I got to know him with England as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-carroll/i-think-gary-cahill-s-very-good-it-s-always-tough-against-him-he-s-a/) [Andy Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-carroll/) > [I am a Zionist, an ardent supporter of Israel, its defender when I deem Israel to be right and its critic when I deem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-bikel/i-am-a-zionist-an-ardent-supporter-of-israel-its-defender-when-i-deem/) [Theodore Bikel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-bikel/) > [It's like, every game you never know how a defender is going to play you. You have to be mentally focused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hield/it-s-like-every-game-you-never-know-how-a-defender-is-going-to-play/) [Buddy Hield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hield/) ## More by Roberto Firmino > [I'm not used to doing press conferences, and I don't like giving interviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-m-not-used-to-doing-press-conferences-and-i-don-t-like-giving/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [A lot of Brazilians are very superstitious, especially footballers. I'm the same. I always step on to the pitch with my right foot first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/a-lot-of-brazilians-are-very-superstitious-especially-footballers-i-m/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [Professor Tite has played a big role in the Selecao's ascent. He's a brilliant coach, with a unique way of working, but he's also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/professor-tite-has-played-a-big-role-in-the-selecao-s-ascent-he-s-a/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [Being shy has never held me back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/being-shy-has-never-held-me-back/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [I have always worked very hard in my career. Always working towards a good moment. And when you plan, the rewards appear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-have-always-worked-very-hard-in-my-career-always-working-towards-a/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [I like to relax; of course I do! But when I am inside the pitch, that is it. You have to go on full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-like-to-relax-of-course-i-do-but-when-i-am-inside-the-pitch-that-is/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [I think the Brazil system is similar to the one we use at Liverpool, with lots of movement, players open out wide, and quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-think-the-brazil-system-is-similar-to-the-one-we-use-at-liverpool/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [I don't think it's a problem if you play well and don't score, when you are creating chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-don-t-think-it-s-a-problem-if-you-play-well-and-don-t-score-when/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [My parents gave up things for me when I was growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/my-parents-gave-up-things-for-me-when-i-was-growing-up/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [If you are in the draw, then you cannot be afraid of anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/if-you-are-in-the-draw-then-you-cannot-be-afraid-of-anyone/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [Certainly my dream is to lift the Premier League trophy with Liverpool, and that's what we are trying to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/certainly-my-dream-is-to-lift-the-premier-league-trophy-with/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [Everybody knows that Coutinho is a great footballer - here in England, they call him 'The Magician.' He made his decision to join Barcelona,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/everybody-knows-that-coutinho-is-a-great-footballer-here-in-england/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [I was only 19 when I came to Hoffenheim. Everything was new to me - a strange country, a foreign language. That was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-was-only-19-when-i-came-to-hoffenheim-everything-was-new-to-me-a/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [Everyone hears stories about what it means to be a Liverpool player, but, until you live it personally, you cannot really understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/everyone-hears-stories-about-what-it-means-to-be-a-liverpool-player/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [I consider myself to be half-Brazilian and half-German on the pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-consider-myself-to-be-half-brazilian-and-half-german-on-the-pitch/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) [Explore all 76 Roberto Firmino quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) ## More Defence quotes > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Everyone says there's a lot of strength, a lot of big guys in defence, the Premier League is very fast and there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timo-werner/everyone-says-there-s-a-lot-of-strength-a-lot-of-big-guys-in-defence/) [Timo Werner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timo-werner/) > [“No thanky-you; you can't overcome hatred with more hatred. Force can kill the liar but not the lie, the hater but not the hate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-sheldon/no-thanky-you-you-can-t-overcome-hatred-with-more-hatred-force-can/) [Joss Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-sheldon/) > [Commerce diminishes the spirit, both of patriotism and military defence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/commerce-diminishes-the-spirit-both-of-patriotism-and-military-defence/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [In each studio there is a human being dressed in the full regalia of his myth fearing to expore a vulnerable opening, spreading not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/in-each-studio-there-is-a-human-being-dressed-in-the-full-regalia-of/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [“It’s so easy to lose faith and become lost in all of the politics of the world. That’s why we need the arts. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/it-s-so-easy-to-lose-faith-and-become-lost-in-all-of-the-politics-of/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [The investment in our mining industry has been very positive for Australia but we need to be doing more if we want, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rinehart/the-investment-in-our-mining-industry-has-been-very-positive-for/) [Gina Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rinehart/) > [A ten per cent reduction in military expenditures per year would be reasonable, coupled with a programme of retraining the workforce and redirecting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/a-ten-per-cent-reduction-in-military-expenditures-per-year-would-be/) [Alfred-Maurice de Zayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/) > [I think a goalkeeper has to participate at the back of the defence and come off the line to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thibaut-courtois/i-think-a-goalkeeper-has-to-participate-at-the-back-of-the-defence/) [Thibaut Courtois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thibaut-courtois/) > [Those who deny the right of a jury to protect an individual in resisting an unjust law of the government, deny him all defence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/those-who-deny-the-right-of-a-jury-to-protect-an-individual-in/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [...a tale of too many cooks in the defence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-brown/a-tale-of-too-many-cooks-in-the-defence/) [Ian Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-brown/) > [Scotland forms a crucial part of our Armed Forces which should not be jeopardised by rushed cuts or a rush to the exit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hammond/scotland-forms-a-crucial-part-of-our-armed-forces-which-should-not-be/) [Philip Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hammond/) > [He that rebels against reason is a real rebel, but he that in defence of reason rebels against tyranny has a better title to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/he-that-rebels-against-reason-is-a-real-rebel-but-he-that-in-defence/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Yes, we were amazed when that happened. It was a real joke to us. Konrad Lueg and I did a Happening, and we used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/yes-we-were-amazed-when-that-happened-it-was-a-real-joke-to-us-konrad/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [One of the goals of philosophy is wage theoretical battle. That is why we can say that every thesis is always, by its very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-althusser/one-of-the-goals-of-philosophy-is-wage-theoretical-battle-that-is-why/) [Louis Althusser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-althusser/) [Browse all 582 Defence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started out as a defender. I played as a full-back, and then I moved into the centre. I played defence right the way through until the Under-18s. Honestly!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roberto Firmino" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-started-out-as-a-defender-i-played-as-a-full-back-and-then-i-moved/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Defence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-started-out-as-a-defender-i-played-as-a-full-back-and-then-i-moved/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/roberto-firmino-8978_defence_i-started-out-as-a-defender-i-played-as_2106435.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/roberto-firmino-8978_defence_i-started-out-as-a-defender-i-played-as_2106435.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1e/roberto-firmino-8978_defence_i-started-out-as-a-defender-i-played-as_2106435.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I started out as a defender. I played as a full-back, and then I moved into the centre. I played defence…” — Roberto Firmino", "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": "Roberto Firmino", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I started out as a defender....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-started-out-as-a-defender-i-played-as-a-full-back-and-then-i-moved/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-started-out-as-a-defender-i-played-as-a-full-back-and-then-i-moved/#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 } } ] } ```