--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always wanted to better myself as a…" description: "\"I always wanted to better myself as a young lad growing up in Northern Ireland and kept believing that I could make it as a professional footballer.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/stuart-dallas-17144_always_i-always-wanted-to-better-myself-as-a-yo_1174563.jpg" --- # I always wanted to better myself as a young lad growing up… ![“I always wanted to better myself as a young lad growing up in Northern Ireland and kept believing that I could make it as a professional footballer.” quote by Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/stuart-dallas-17144_always_i-always-wanted-to-better-myself-as-a-yo_1174563.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/stuart-dallas-17144_always_i-always-wanted-to-better-myself-as-a-yo_1174563.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/stuart-dallas-17144_always_i-always-wanted-to-better-myself-as-a-yo_1174563.jpg) > “I always wanted to better myself as a young lad growing up in Northern Ireland and kept believing that I could make it as a professional footballer.” [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A young footballer from Northern Ireland expresses ambition and belief in achieving a professional career despite challenges. **In simple terms:** He is determined to become a professional footballer. Key Takeaway Maintain belief and work hard toward goals. Themes ambition determination sports career regional identity Mood motivational hopeful determined Type interview inspirational sports‑focused When to use this quote - youth sports programs - career planning - community support - overcoming socioeconomic barriers Key Concepts goal‑setting resilience role model Questions to Reflect On - What resources can help you reach your sports dreams? - How does community shape athletic ambition? A Different Perspective Success also requires opportunity and support beyond personal effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ireland/) [Northern ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/northern-ireland/) ## Related quotes > [I was a young lad when I was growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-leary/i-was-a-young-lad-when-i-was-growing-up/) David O'Leary > [“I was once weak, I was always afraid, I hidden my tears, but I kept on going, I kept on believing, I followed my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erza-scarlet/i-was-once-weak-i-was-always-afraid-i-hidden-my-tears-but-i-kept-on/) Erza Scarlet > [But we believed if we kept on working, if we kept on marching, if we kept on voting, if we kept on believing, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/but-we-believed-if-we-kept-on-working-if-we-kept-on-marching-if-we/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [We always kept believing in ourselves and our team and the car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-vettel/we-always-kept-believing-in-ourselves-and-our-team-and-the-car/) [Sebastian Vettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-vettel/) > [I just kept believing in myself and trusting the manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-foden/i-just-kept-believing-in-myself-and-trusting-the-manager/) [Phil Foden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-foden/) > [“Perps didn't always get their just deserts in this life. That was one of the reasons she kept believing in God, the hope that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/perps-didn-t-always-get-their-just-deserts-in-this-life-that-was-one/) [Tami Hoag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tami-hoag/) > [I kept believing that, if I got my innings in, it would come. I just kept believing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-hamels/i-kept-believing-that-if-i-got-my-innings-in-it-would-come-i-just/) [Cole Hamels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-hamels/) > [There were good and bad times, but through all of the times I just kept working, and kept being in the gym, and kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jae-crowder/there-were-good-and-bad-times-but-through-all-of-the-times-i-just/) [Jae Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jae-crowder/) > [It's an honour to play for Northern Ireland and scoring makes the experience extra special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/it-s-an-honour-to-play-for-northern-ireland-and-scoring-makes-the/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [You always get that from the Northern Ireland fans, whether it's at Windsor Park or away from home they always make a great noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/you-always-get-that-from-the-northern-ireland-fans-whether-it-s-at/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [I don't have the words to describe what it would mean to us and the people of Northern Ireland to get to the World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/i-don-t-have-the-words-to-describe-what-it-would-mean-to-us-and-the/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [It's obviously a huge honour to score your first goal for Northern Ireland and it's a special moment for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/it-s-obviously-a-huge-honour-to-score-your-first-goal-for-northern/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [Intrinsically, I'm the same person I was as a young lad, and I think I still have the optimism of life, still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/intrinsically-i-m-the-same-person-i-was-as-a-young-lad-and-i-think-i/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [Strapping Young Lad is a vehicle for me to be wild and extroverted and ridiculous. It gives me the chance to say, 'Look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devin-townsend/strapping-young-lad-is-a-vehicle-for-me-to-be-wild-and-extroverted/) [Devin Townsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devin-townsend/) > [People said when I was a young lad 'Oh he's got good feet.' He's good in small spaces and that's something I have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lallana/people-said-when-i-was-a-young-lad-oh-he-s-got-good-feet-he-s-good-in/) [Adam Lallana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lallana/) ## More by Stuart Dallas > [I have become a better player and person under Marcelo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/i-have-become-a-better-player-and-person-under-marcelo/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [The fans are massive in terms of what we do. They're the 12th man at times, they drag us through games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/the-fans-are-massive-in-terms-of-what-we-do-they-re-the-12th-man-at/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [It's obviously a huge honour to score your first goal for Northern Ireland and it's a special moment for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/it-s-obviously-a-huge-honour-to-score-your-first-goal-for-northern/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [Having come from where I have, it makes me appreciate everything that little bit more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/having-come-from-where-i-have-it-makes-me-appreciate-everything-that/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [Growing up there was more of a Leeds following in my home town than even Man United or Liverpool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/growing-up-there-was-more-of-a-leeds-following-in-my-home-town-than/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [I've had a great career and I'll continue to have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/i-ve-had-a-great-career-and-i-ll-continue-to-have-that/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [My game is based a lot on getting up and down the pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/my-game-is-based-a-lot-on-getting-up-and-down-the-pitch/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [It's always tough when you get beat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/it-s-always-tough-when-you-get-beat/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [Leeds are such a big club. You only have to look at the crowds we get every week, home and away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/leeds-are-such-a-big-club-you-only-have-to-look-at-the-crowds-we-get/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [I didn't play to my potential under any manager until Marcelo came in. I really mean that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/i-didn-t-play-to-my-potential-under-any-manager-until-marcelo-came-in/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [I have my kids myself and I know how much playing football and playing sport means to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/i-have-my-kids-myself-and-i-know-how-much-playing-football-and/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [You had to be focused in the Championship as well, but in the Premier League, it's more mentally challenging. You have to be focused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/you-had-to-be-focused-in-the-championship-as-well-but-in-the-premier/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [In football, you have to change pretty quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/in-football-you-have-to-change-pretty-quickly/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [You want to test yourself at the highest level and if I get that opportunity at Leeds then it is something I will grab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/you-want-to-test-yourself-at-the-highest-level-and-if-i-get-that/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) > [There are lot of people who want to see us fail. It spurs us on... As players we have to feed off that and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/there-are-lot-of-people-who-want-to-see-us-fail-it-spurs-us-on-as/) [Stuart Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) [Explore all 38 Stuart Dallas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always wanted to better myself as a young lad growing up in Northern Ireland and kept believing that I could make it as a professional footballer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stuart Dallas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/i-always-wanted-to-better-myself-as-a-young-lad-growing-up-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/i-always-wanted-to-better-myself-as-a-young-lad-growing-up-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/stuart-dallas-17144_always_i-always-wanted-to-better-myself-as-a-yo_1174563.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/stuart-dallas-17144_always_i-always-wanted-to-better-myself-as-a-yo_1174563.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/stuart-dallas-17144_always_i-always-wanted-to-better-myself-as-a-yo_1174563.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I always wanted to better myself as a young lad growing up in Northern Ireland and kept believing that I…” — Stuart Dallas", "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": "Stuart Dallas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dallas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I always wanted to better myself...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/i-always-wanted-to-better-myself-as-a-young-lad-growing-up-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dallas/i-always-wanted-to-better-myself-as-a-young-lad-growing-up-in/#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 } } ] } ```