---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Losing is not in my vocabulary."
description: "\"Losing is not in my vocabulary.\" — Ruud van Nistelrooy"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/ruud-van-nistelrooy-21007_football_losing-is-not-in-my-vocabulary-257091_257091.png"
---

#  Losing is not in my vocabulary.

![“Losing is not in my vocabulary.” quote by Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/ruud-van-nistelrooy-21007_football_losing-is-not-in-my-vocabulary-257091_257091.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/ruud-van-nistelrooy-21007_football_losing-is-not-in-my-vocabulary-257091_257091.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/ruud-van-nistelrooy-21007_football_losing-is-not-in-my-vocabulary-257091_257091.png)

> “Losing is not in my vocabulary.”

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

## About This Quote

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

Refuses to accept defeat, viewing loss as unacceptable and focusing on success.

**In simple terms:** I don't accept losing.

Key Takeaway

Never accept defeat.

Themes

determination confidence competition

Mood

driven assertive

Type

motivational sports

When to use this quote

- Athletes facing a slump
- business leaders after a failed project
- students after a bad grade

Key Concepts

mindset resilience performance pressuresports career personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- What does “loss” mean to you?
- How can you balance confidence with humility?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on winning can cause stress and ignore learning from mistakes.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Losing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losing/) [Losing Vocabulary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losing-vocabulary-2543588/) [Vocabulary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocabulary/)

## Related quotes

> [I have a vocabulary all my own. I pass the time when itis wet and disagreeable. Whenit is fine I do not wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-have-a-vocabulary-all-my-own-i-pass-the-time-when-itis-wet-and/)

[Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/)

> [Many studies have established the fact that there is a high correlation between vocabulary and intelligence and that the ability to increase one's vocabulary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bergen-evans/many-studies-have-established-the-fact-that-there-is-a-high/)

[Bergen Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bergen-evans/)

> [One of the really bad things you can do to your writing is to dress up the vocabulary, looking for long words because you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/one-of-the-really-bad-things-you-can-do-to-your-writing-is-to-dress/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [You adjust what you do depending on the actor. You evolve a vocabulary and a way of language and talking with each actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/you-adjust-what-you-do-depending-on-the-actor-you-evolve-a-vocabulary/)

[George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/)

> [Cults use our vocabulary, but they don't use our dictionary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/cults-use-our-vocabulary-but-they-don-t-use-our-dictionary/)

[Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/)

> [Win without boasting. Lose without excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-payson-terhune/win-without-boasting-lose-without-excuse/)

[Albert Payson Terhune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-payson-terhune/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/winning-is-a-habit-unfortunately-so-is-losing/)

[Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/)

> [When you're losing, you see what your team is made of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-granderson/when-you-re-losing-you-see-what-your-team-is-made-of/)

[Curtis Granderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-granderson/)

> [Football is still fun, but it's not so much fun when you're losing, especially when you prepare as hard as you can, you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-sanders/football-is-still-fun-but-it-s-not-so-much-fun-when-you-re-losing/)

[Emmanuel Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-sanders/)

> [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/)

[Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/)

> [“I hereby propose the term “miserize”, as a verb for misery – referring to “to cause misery”.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/i-hereby-propose-the-term-miserize-as-a-verb-for-misery-referring-to/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [In Greek mythology, the hero wants to be great, but the very concept does not exist in the Indian vocabulary. Yet it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devdutt-pattanaik/in-greek-mythology-the-hero-wants-to-be-great-but-the-very-concept/)

[Devdutt Pattanaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devdutt-pattanaik/)

> [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/)

[Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/)

> [Most of my life, I thought that I would end up a novelist. But then, in New York City, after college, I started a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-spaihts/most-of-my-life-i-thought-that-i-would-end-up-a-novelist-but-then-in/)

[Jon Spaihts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-spaihts/)

## More by Ruud van Nistelrooy

> [We have to be thankful to the Czechs that they did their duty. The Czech Republic won, I can't believe it. It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/we-have-to-be-thankful-to-the-czechs-that-they-did-their-duty-the/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [If you start to find that kind of luxury as a normal thing, you don't belong in the real world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/if-you-start-to-find-that-kind-of-luxury-as-a-normal-thing-you-don-t/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [In Spain and Italy I would not have a life among the fans. Everyone wants to touch you, own you and approach you. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/in-spain-and-italy-i-would-not-have-a-life-among-the-fans-everyone/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [The country life near Manchester I really love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/the-country-life-near-manchester-i-really-love/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [If I don't get the service or if I don't the ball in the box, where I want it, I start drifting into midfield.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/if-i-don-t-get-the-service-or-if-i-don-t-the-ball-in-the-box-where-i/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [When it comes to losing with United, I feel solely responsible for it. I can't help it. My brain will work like mad after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/when-it-comes-to-losing-with-united-i-feel-solely-responsible-for-it/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [But really, I can only be dangerous for the team in one place, and that is in the box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/but-really-i-can-only-be-dangerous-for-the-team-in-one-place-and-that/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [Because people have read those things in the newspapers, they think it is true. Ten years ago all these things I have just mentioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/because-people-have-read-those-things-in-the-newspapers-they-think-it/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [Because of that I don't care when I read in the newspaper that I am colourblind. I went through a red light in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/because-of-that-i-don-t-care-when-i-read-in-the-newspaper-that-i-am/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [As a private person I think I am now totally different from Ruud van Nistelrooy the footballer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/as-a-private-person-i-think-i-am-now-totally-different-from-ruud-van/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [I think we have really integrated well around Manchester. This is the place where we feel at home. We like it here, we love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/i-think-we-have-really-integrated-well-around-manchester-this-is-the/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [Certain things do not effect me anymore, which is not always good. There is always commotion, but I notice that hardly anything affects me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/certain-things-do-not-effect-me-anymore-which-is-not-always-good/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [Of course I have the odd bad game like other players. But I can't accept that. Especially when things don't go right for United.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/of-course-i-have-the-odd-bad-game-like-other-players-but-i-can-t/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [It's not just the manager who makes the decision, it's the player who makes the decision. They both decide fifty-fifty to make a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/it-s-not-just-the-manager-who-makes-the-decision-it-s-the-player-who/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

> [I really want be of great value for the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/i-really-want-be-of-great-value-for-the-team/)

[Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

[Explore all 30 Ruud van Nistelrooy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/)

## More Football quotes

> [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/)

[Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/)

> [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/)

[Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/)

> [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/)

[Brendan Mundorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-mundorf/)

> [Giggs is the realest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/giggs-is-the-realest/)

[Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/)

> [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/)

[Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/)

> [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/)

[Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/)

[Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/)

> [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/)

[Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/)

> [“Wild card, got it," Duncan said. "Just like in Crazy Eights. I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/wild-card-got-it-duncan-said-just-like-in-crazy-eights-i-can-be-a/)

[Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/)

> [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/)

[Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/)

> [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/)

[Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/)

> [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/)

[Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/)

> [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/)

[Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/)

> [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/)

[Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/)

[Browse all 59,646 Football quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Losing is not in my vocabulary.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ruud van Nistelrooy"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/losing-is-not-in-my-vocabulary/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Football"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/losing-is-not-in-my-vocabulary/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/ruud-van-nistelrooy-21007_football_losing-is-not-in-my-vocabulary-257091_257091.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/ruud-van-nistelrooy-21007_football_losing-is-not-in-my-vocabulary-257091_257091.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/ruud-van-nistelrooy-21007_football_losing-is-not-in-my-vocabulary-257091_257091.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Losing is not in my vocabulary.” — Ruud van Nistelrooy",
                "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": "Ruud van Nistelrooy",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Losing is not in my vocabulary.",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/losing-is-not-in-my-vocabulary/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/losing-is-not-in-my-vocabulary/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
