---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Italy, they are incredibly…"
description: "\"In Italy, they are incredibly competitive. It may be that their game is more defensive, but they defend so well; here in Germany, there is more speed a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/thiago-alcantara-12830_england_in-italy-they-are-incredibly-competitive_1965971.jpg"
---

#  In Italy, they are incredibly competitive. It may be that…

![“In Italy, they are incredibly competitive. It may be that their game is more defensive, but they defend so well; here in Germany, there is more speed and intensity. In England, they are more direct, very box-to-box.” quote by Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/thiago-alcantara-12830_england_in-italy-they-are-incredibly-competitive_1965971.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/thiago-alcantara-12830_england_in-italy-they-are-incredibly-competitive_1965971.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/thiago-alcantara-12830_england_in-italy-they-are-incredibly-competitive_1965971.jpg)

> “In Italy, they are incredibly competitive. It may be that their game is more defensive, but they defend so well; here in Germany, there is more speed and intensity. In England, they are more direct, very box-to-box.”

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

## About This Quote

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

Different football cultures prioritize distinct tactical strengths, shaping play styles across nations.

**In simple terms:** Each country’s soccer style reflects its tactical focus.

Key Takeaway

Adapt tactics to opponent’s strengths.

Themes

sports culture strategy

Mood

competitive analytical

Type

observational strategic

When to use this quote

- coaching
- player development
- scouting

Key Concepts

tactical diversity national identity

Questions to Reflect On

- What tactical traits define your team?
- How can you blend styles effectively?

A Different Perspective

Adapting may be limited by player skill sets.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany/) [Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speed/)

## Related quotes

> [La Liga is good too, but there's such a great intensity in England every week. It makes you push your limits and if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eidur-gudjohnsen/la-liga-is-good-too-but-there-s-such-a-great-intensity-in-england/)

[Eidur Gudjohnsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eidur-gudjohnsen/)

> [I was incredibly competitive, growing up with two brothers; we'd argue and play against each other in the garden continuously. If we have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-maguire/i-was-incredibly-competitive-growing-up-with-two-brothers-we-d-argue/)

[Harry Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-maguire/)

> [Of course I have an ego, but you have to have an ego. You have to be incredibly competitive. I can get competitive at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cowell/of-course-i-have-an-ego-but-you-have-to-have-an-ego-you-have-to-be/)

[Simon Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cowell/)

> [I especially don't trust girls in this industry, because it's incredibly competitive, and I'm just not interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-especially-don-t-trust-girls-in-this-industry-because-it-s/)

[Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/)

> [Uruguayans are competitive, and we always want to win. Even though we try to hide it, it is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-godin/uruguayans-are-competitive-and-we-always-want-to-win-even-though-we/)

[Diego Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-godin/)

> [I've always been competitive and determined. It's part of my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-simmonds/i-ve-always-been-competitive-and-determined-it-s-part-of-my/)

[Ellie Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-simmonds/)

> [Everyone must be in the same competitive situation, including on the fiscal level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/everyone-must-be-in-the-same-competitive-situation-including-on-the/)

[Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/)

> [I just love this sport and it's so competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-coleman/i-just-love-this-sport-and-it-s-so-competitive/)

[Christian Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-coleman/)

> [In any competitive environment, whether you're in sales or marketing or whatever it is, you have to know your competition, understand who they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-moses/in-any-competitive-environment-whether-you-re-in-sales-or-marketing/)

[Edwin Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-moses/)

> [Don't compare your career to anyone else's. It's tough when you're in a business that's competitive. I was having a difficult time with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-brooks/don-t-compare-your-career-to-anyone-else-s-it-s-tough-when-you-re-in/)

[Danielle Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-brooks/)

> [I was a serious competitive figure skater and still ice-skate as much as I can. Anyway, I once brought a date to the rink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-serratos/i-was-a-serious-competitive-figure-skater-and-still-ice-skate-as-much/)

[Christian Serratos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-serratos/)

> [My dad is a competitive guy. That's a part of me. It's just a certain drive, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auston-matthews/my-dad-is-a-competitive-guy-that-s-a-part-of-me-it-s-just-a-certain/)

[Auston Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auston-matthews/)

> [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/)

[Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/)

> [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/)

[Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/)

> [If life were like a competitive race, some people would be given a flying start and others would line up with weights tied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/if-life-were-like-a-competitive-race-some-people-would-be-given-a/)

[Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/)

## More by Thiago Alcantara

> [I can play in any position except goalkeeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/i-can-play-in-any-position-except-goalkeeper/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [I just want to be on top of my game, because that benefits my team-mates as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/i-just-want-to-be-on-top-of-my-game-because-that-benefits-my-team/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [For me, it's a pleasure to play football every three or four days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/for-me-it-s-a-pleasure-to-play-football-every-three-or-four-days/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [It's always complicated to play against Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/it-s-always-complicated-to-play-against-italy/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [Speculating on the future serves for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/speculating-on-the-future-serves-for-nothing/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [Football is global; it does not end at Barca.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/football-is-global-it-does-not-end-at-barca/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [I love watching English football. It's the league I most enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/i-love-watching-english-football-it-s-the-league-i-most-enjoy/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [Pep trusted me, and I felt that trust. He won a lot of things, and I learned a lot from him during his Barcelona…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/pep-trusted-me-and-i-felt-that-trust-he-won-a-lot-of-things-and-i/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [Now it's up to me to prove that I can play for Barcelona and help the team to stay at the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/now-it-s-up-to-me-to-prove-that-i-can-play-for-barcelona-and-help-the/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [It's a fact that Guardiola is joining Manchester City, and we have to respect that. But there is no truth in the rumours saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/it-s-a-fact-that-guardiola-is-joining-manchester-city-and-we-have-to/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [Munich is a spectacular city with fantastic flair and a tremendous passion for football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/munich-is-a-spectacular-city-with-fantastic-flair-and-a-tremendous/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [I am feeling very well so long as I am out there on the pitch with my team-mates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/i-am-feeling-very-well-so-long-as-i-am-out-there-on-the-pitch-with-my/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [It's just a coincidence that I've scored two headers. I'm not a specialist scoring headed goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/it-s-just-a-coincidence-that-i-ve-scored-two-headers-i-m-not-a/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [Being with the first team is a reward for me. I'll take the opportunity with everything I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/being-with-the-first-team-is-a-reward-for-me-i-ll-take-the/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [My feeling is that my body and all my things inside me - when I move, when I do everything - are Brazilian because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/my-feeling-is-that-my-body-and-all-my-things-inside-me-when-i-move/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

[Explore all 53 Thiago Alcantara quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

## More Competitive quotes

> [If life were like a competitive race, some people would be given a flying start and others would line up with weights tied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/if-life-were-like-a-competitive-race-some-people-would-be-given-a/)

[Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/)

> [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/)

[Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/)

> [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/)

[Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/)

> [My dad is a competitive guy. That's a part of me. It's just a certain drive, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auston-matthews/my-dad-is-a-competitive-guy-that-s-a-part-of-me-it-s-just-a-certain/)

[Auston Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auston-matthews/)

> [I was a serious competitive figure skater and still ice-skate as much as I can. Anyway, I once brought a date to the rink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-serratos/i-was-a-serious-competitive-figure-skater-and-still-ice-skate-as-much/)

[Christian Serratos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-serratos/)

> [Don't compare your career to anyone else's. It's tough when you're in a business that's competitive. I was having a difficult time with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-brooks/don-t-compare-your-career-to-anyone-else-s-it-s-tough-when-you-re-in/)

[Danielle Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-brooks/)

> [In any competitive environment, whether you're in sales or marketing or whatever it is, you have to know your competition, understand who they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-moses/in-any-competitive-environment-whether-you-re-in-sales-or-marketing/)

[Edwin Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-moses/)

> [I just love this sport and it's so competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-coleman/i-just-love-this-sport-and-it-s-so-competitive/)

[Christian Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-coleman/)

> [Everyone must be in the same competitive situation, including on the fiscal level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/everyone-must-be-in-the-same-competitive-situation-including-on-the/)

[Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/)

> [I've always been competitive and determined. It's part of my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-simmonds/i-ve-always-been-competitive-and-determined-it-s-part-of-my/)

[Ellie Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-simmonds/)

> [Uruguayans are competitive, and we always want to win. Even though we try to hide it, it is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-godin/uruguayans-are-competitive-and-we-always-want-to-win-even-though-we/)

[Diego Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-godin/)

> [I'm quite competitive. Not with other models but with myself. I have to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arizona-muse/i-m-quite-competitive-not-with-other-models-but-with-myself-i-have-to/)

[Arizona Muse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arizona-muse/)

> [I'll miss the competitive side and the camaraderie of being around the players and competing each and every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-ll-miss-the-competitive-side-and-the-camaraderie-of-being-around/)

[Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/)

> [We always want to see each other do well. And I think we all want to win. As competitive as you are, you always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-brown/we-always-want-to-see-each-other-do-well-and-i-think-we-all-want-to/)

[Antonio Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-brown/)

> [Any physical practice can be a competitive sport. What level you can take postures to create the maximum challenge and show your maximum skill,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajashree-choudhury/any-physical-practice-can-be-a-competitive-sport-what-level-you-can/)

[Rajashree Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajashree-choudhury/)

[Browse all 1,008 Competitive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In Italy, they are incredibly competitive. It may be that their game is more defensive, but they defend so well; here in Germany, there is more speed and intensity. In England, they are more direct, very box-to-box.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Thiago Alcantara"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/in-italy-they-are-incredibly-competitive-it-may-be-that-their-game-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Competitive"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/in-italy-they-are-incredibly-competitive-it-may-be-that-their-game-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/thiago-alcantara-12830_england_in-italy-they-are-incredibly-competitive_1965971.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/thiago-alcantara-12830_england_in-italy-they-are-incredibly-competitive_1965971.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/thiago-alcantara-12830_england_in-italy-they-are-incredibly-competitive_1965971.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In Italy, they are incredibly competitive. It may be that their game is more defensive, but they defend so…” — Thiago Alcantara",
                "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": "Thiago Alcantara",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In Italy, they are incredibly competitive....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/in-italy-they-are-incredibly-competitive-it-may-be-that-their-game-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/in-italy-they-are-incredibly-competitive-it-may-be-that-their-game-is/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
