---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything happens for a reason, except…"
description: "\"Everything happens for a reason, except possibly football. (in Thief of Time)\" — Terry Pratchett"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/terry-pratchett-19_england_everything-happens-for-a-reason-except-p_2109126.jpg"
---

#  Everything happens for a reason, except possibly football…

![“Everything happens for a reason, except possibly football. (in Thief of Time)” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/terry-pratchett-19_england_everything-happens-for-a-reason-except-p_2109126.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/terry-pratchett-19_england_everything-happens-for-a-reason-except-p_2109126.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/terry-pratchett-19_england_everything-happens-for-a-reason-except-p_2109126.jpg)

> “Everything happens for a reason, except possibly football. (in Thief of Time)”

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## About This Quote

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

Events seem purposeful, except the randomness of football.

**In simple terms:** Everything has purpose, maybe not football.

Key Takeaway

Accept uncertainty, especially in sport.

Themes

humor life uncertainty

Mood

witty lighthearted

Type

satirical philosophical

When to use this quote

- daily setbacks
- team performance
- personal expectations
- game outcomes

Key Concepts

fate randomness sports culture

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you cope with unpredictable results?
- What gives meaning beyond sport?

A Different Perspective

Humor may downplay genuine frustrations.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Happens for a reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens-for-a-reason/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thief/) [Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [But if I've heard this saying once, I've heard it a thousand times- everything happens for a reason. And possibly it does. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lawler/but-if-i-ve-heard-this-saying-once-i-ve-heard-it-a-thousand-times/)

[Jerry Lawler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lawler/)

> [Just remember everything happens for a reason. We just have to pick ourselves up, and look on the bright side of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-smith/just-remember-everything-happens-for-a-reason-we-just-have-to-pick/)

[Megan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-smith/)

> [I don't believe in fate," he said carefully, "but... I do believe everything happens for a reason. That there is some plan, some meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/i-don-t-believe-in-fate-he-said-carefully-but-i-do-believe-everything/)

[Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/)

> [Everything happens for a reason, but they all lessons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-boosie/everything-happens-for-a-reason-but-they-all-lessons/)

[Lil Boosie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-boosie/)

> [I genuinely believe that everything happens for a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake-doremus/i-genuinely-believe-that-everything-happens-for-a-reason/)

[Drake Doremus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake-doremus/)

> [I'm trying to make some sense out of the phrase "Everything happens for a reason," and I think I've figured out what the reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/i-m-trying-to-make-some-sense-out-of-the-phrase-everything-happens/)

[Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/)

> [There is no luck in life, everything happens for a reason. Every little thing that you do... leads up to a bigger thing. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/there-is-no-luck-in-life-everything-happens-for-a-reason-every-little/)

[Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/)

> [I think that everything happens for a reason, everything happens when it's going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-think-that-everything-happens-for-a-reason-everything-happens-when/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [“What I believe is that when it comes to big things in life, there are no accidents. Everything happens for a reason. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/what-i-believe-is-that-when-it-comes-to-big-things-in-life-there-are/)

[Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/)

> [Something my mom taught me when I was little is that everything happens for a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-johnson/something-my-mom-taught-me-when-i-was-little-is-that-everything/)

[Shawn Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-johnson/)

> [Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes you won't be on the beneficial end of it but either way it's a blessing in disguise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behdad-sami/everything-happens-for-a-reason-sometimes-you-won-t-be-on-the/)

[Behdad Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behdad-sami/)

> [I think everything happens for a reason, so there is no such thing as fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kate-olsen/i-think-everything-happens-for-a-reason-so-there-is-no-such-thing-as/)

[Mary-Kate Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kate-olsen/)

> [Everybody dies. There’s nothing you can do about it. Whether or not you eat six almonds a day. Whether or not you believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/everybody-dies-there-s-nothing-you-can-do-about-it-whether-or-not-you/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [I always say that things are meant to be and everything happens for a reason, so I don't have any regrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-pietersen/i-always-say-that-things-are-meant-to-be-and-everything-happens-for-a/)

[Kevin Pietersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-pietersen/)

> [Everything happens for a reason. I'm used to it, I prepare for it. Like I say, at the end of the day, those in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/everything-happens-for-a-reason-i-m-used-to-it-i-prepare-for-it-like/)

[Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/)

## More by Terry Pratchett

> [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

[Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## More England quotes

> [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/)

[Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/)

> [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/)

[Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/)

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

> [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/)

[Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/)

> [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/)

[Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/)

> [If I had been an Italian I am sure that I should have been whole-heartedly with you from the start to finish in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/if-i-had-been-an-italian-i-am-sure-that-i-should-have-been-whole/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> ['Downton Abbey' is my worst nightmare. I just hate that whole 'Upstairs Downstairs' thing, I think it's really lazy and it doesn't represent England,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/downton-abbey-is-my-worst-nightmare-i-just-hate-that-whole-upstairs/)

[Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/)

> [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/)

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

> [These fledgling democracies in the Middle East, they're actually fighting for their freedom. And what are they rioting for in England? Leisurewear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/these-fledgling-democracies-in-the-middle-east-they-re-actually/)

[Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/)

> [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/)

[Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/)

> [“Of France and England, did this king succeed; Whose state so many had the managing. That they lost France and made his England bleed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/of-france-and-england-did-this-king-succeed-whose-state-so-many-had/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [In my view, fitness training isn't that important in England, as they all train with such intensity anyway and have a competitive edge when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudio-ranieri/in-my-view-fitness-training-isn-t-that-important-in-england-as-they/)

[Claudio Ranieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudio-ranieri/)

> [England expects every man to do his duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/england-expects-every-man-to-do-his-duty/)

[Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/)

[Browse all 4,190 England quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Everything happens for a reason, except possibly football. (in Thief of Time)",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Terry Pratchett"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/everything-happens-for-a-reason-except-possibly-football-in-thief-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "England"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/everything-happens-for-a-reason-except-possibly-football-in-thief-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/terry-pratchett-19_england_everything-happens-for-a-reason-except-p_2109126.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/terry-pratchett-19_england_everything-happens-for-a-reason-except-p_2109126.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/terry-pratchett-19_england_everything-happens-for-a-reason-except-p_2109126.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Everything happens for a reason, except possibly football. (in Thief of Time)” — Terry Pratchett",
                "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": "Terry Pratchett",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Everything happens for a reason, except...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/everything-happens-for-a-reason-except-possibly-football-in-thief-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/everything-happens-for-a-reason-except-possibly-football-in-thief-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
