---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Marco van Basten - I never saw him…"
description: "\"Marco van Basten - I never saw him properly play but I know he was pretty good.\" — Virgil van Dijk"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b5/virgil-van-dijk-6531_football_marco-van-basten-i-never-saw-him-properl_2871672.jpg"
---

#  Marco van Basten - I never saw him properly play but I…

![“Marco van Basten - I never saw him properly play but I know he was pretty good.” quote by Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b5/virgil-van-dijk-6531_football_marco-van-basten-i-never-saw-him-properl_2871672.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b5/virgil-van-dijk-6531_football_marco-van-basten-i-never-saw-him-properl_2871672.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b5/virgil-van-dijk-6531_football_marco-van-basten-i-never-saw-him-properl_2871672.jpg)

> “Marco van Basten - I never saw him properly play but I know he was pretty good.”

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

## About This Quote

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

Acknowledging talent without full observation can still lead to accurate assessment.

**In simple terms:** You can judge skill without seeing it fully.

Key Takeaway

Trust informed intuition.

Themes

perception evaluation sports

Mood

analytical pragmatic

Type

observational advice

When to use this quote

- scouting
- team selection
- player analysis

Key Concepts

assessment confidence

Questions to Reflect On

- What evidence supports your judgment?
- How do you verify assumptions?

A Different Perspective

Limited view may miss nuances.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Pretty good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-good/) [Properly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/properly/) [Properly Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/properly-play-3932805/) [Saw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saw/)

## Related quotes

> [You really only understand whether a song's good or not when you properly play it out in public for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kapranos/you-really-only-understand-whether-a-song-s-good-or-not-when-you/)

[Alex Kapranos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kapranos/)

> [I think Ali was a fan of mine, even though he never said it. A lot of fighters thought I was pretty good. Nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-think-ali-was-a-fan-of-mine-even-though-he-never-said-it-a-lot-of/)

[Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/)

> [Mourinho is almost at his best when he is the underdog like you saw initially when he was at Porto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-hargreaves/mourinho-is-almost-at-his-best-when-he-is-the-underdog-like-you-saw/)

[Owen Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-hargreaves/)

> [When I was young, I had a favorite movie star. One day, I saw one of his movies, and it was bad, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/when-i-was-young-i-had-a-favorite-movie-star-one-day-i-saw-one-of-his/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [During his presidency, Truman and the Republicans were locked in a series of furious assaults on each other that outraged him and made Truman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/during-his-presidency-truman-and-the-republicans-were-locked-in-a/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [The age of 20 was all about stupid things. I did crazy things but never lost it. I was, you know, a little crazy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-zurer/the-age-of-20-was-all-about-stupid-things-i-did-crazy-things-but/)

[Ayelet Zurer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-zurer/)

> [If the Bible is correct, and the Earth is only 6,000 years old, that means there were no dinosaurs, and museum curators have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/if-the-bible-is-correct-and-the-earth-is-only-6-000-years-old-that/)

[Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/)

> [Nowadays, if you have a mustache, people look at you like you're crazy. But when I was growing up, I never saw my dad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-connolly/nowadays-if-you-have-a-mustache-people-look-at-you-like-you-re-crazy/)

[Kevin Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-connolly/)

> [What I didn't know that by sticking to craft we would blow open some doors that I never saw opened before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/what-i-didn-t-know-that-by-sticking-to-craft-we-would-blow-open-some/)

[James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/)

> [I never saw my parents kiss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/i-never-saw-my-parents-kiss/)

[Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/)

> ['Ruby Sparks' has been sold like a romcom in the States. But we never saw it like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-faris/ruby-sparks-has-been-sold-like-a-romcom-in-the-states-but-we-never/)

[Valerie Faris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-faris/)

> [“Do it well, finish it properly, and move on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eunice-kennedy-shriver/do-it-well-finish-it-properly-and-move-on/)

[Eunice Kennedy Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eunice-kennedy-shriver/)

> [People simply don't have room, physical room, to keep, for instance, 2-inch tape in the sort of quantities that are required to hold a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-mason/people-simply-don-t-have-room-physical-room-to-keep-for-instance-2/)

[Nick Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-mason/)

> [“Kiss me, Ben," I said. "Properly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-watson/kiss-me-ben-i-said-properly/)

[S.J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-watson/)

> [I make time to exercise. It's not being indulgent. I think it's got a lot to do with your ability to manage properly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/i-make-time-to-exercise-it-s-not-being-indulgent-i-think-it-s-got-a/)

[Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/)

## More by Virgil van Dijk

> [When you're 2-0 down after 30 minutes, then you know it's going to be tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/when-you-re-2-0-down-after-30-minutes-then-you-know-it-s-going-to-be/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [I love to have the pressure of having to win every game, love the pressure of keeping clean sheets every game, no matter if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/i-love-to-have-the-pressure-of-having-to-win-every-game-love-the/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [You have to tell each other the truth, you cannot be nice and happy when we want to achieve so much as a team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/you-have-to-tell-each-other-the-truth-you-cannot-be-nice-and-happy/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [The main thing is to try to put in your head that we all start from the bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/the-main-thing-is-to-try-to-put-in-your-head-that-we-all-start-from/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [All the players in the league, I think, want to play for trophies, want to get trophies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/all-the-players-in-the-league-i-think-want-to-play-for-trophies-want/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [I just enjoying playing for Liverpool, it doesn't really matter who is standing next to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/i-just-enjoying-playing-for-liverpool-it-doesn-t-really-matter-who-is/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [At Liverpool, we are all part of one unit, not just the 11 on the pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/at-liverpool-we-are-all-part-of-one-unit-not-just-the-11-on-the-pitch/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [There is always room for improvement in our game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/there-is-always-room-for-improvement-in-our-game/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [Personally, I like to put things in perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/personally-i-like-to-put-things-in-perspective/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [I'm very happy to have already been welcomed into the LFC family, I'm a part of history having won the Champions League and hopefully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/i-m-very-happy-to-have-already-been-welcomed-into-the-lfc-family-i-m/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [I need to be coming off the pitch every game with my voice gone, and that's something I can bring. I am just someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/i-need-to-be-coming-off-the-pitch-every-game-with-my-voice-gone-and/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [I remember starting 'Game of Thrones,' everyone said 'you have to watch it,' but I thought 'it's science fiction, it's not real, it's nothing.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/i-remember-starting-game-of-thrones-everyone-said-you-have-to-watch/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [I know that life is much more than football. We have family and it's all about being happy and healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/i-know-that-life-is-much-more-than-football-we-have-family-and-it-s/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [The world can be very cruel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/the-world-can-be-very-cruel/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [I just want to be remembered as a fantastic player who gave everything for the team and enjoyed every bit of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/i-just-want-to-be-remembered-as-a-fantastic-player-who-gave/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

[Explore all 99 Virgil van Dijk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

## 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": "Marco van Basten - I never saw him properly play but I know he was pretty good.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Virgil van Dijk"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/marco-van-basten-i-never-saw-him-properly-play-but-i-know-he-was/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Football"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/marco-van-basten-i-never-saw-him-properly-play-but-i-know-he-was/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b5/virgil-van-dijk-6531_football_marco-van-basten-i-never-saw-him-properl_2871672.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b5/virgil-van-dijk-6531_football_marco-van-basten-i-never-saw-him-properl_2871672.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b5/virgil-van-dijk-6531_football_marco-van-basten-i-never-saw-him-properl_2871672.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Marco van Basten - I never saw him properly play but I know he was pretty good.” — Virgil van Dijk",
                "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": "Virgil van Dijk",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Marco van Basten - I never...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/marco-van-basten-i-never-saw-him-properly-play-but-i-know-he-was/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/marco-van-basten-i-never-saw-him-properly-play-but-i-know-he-was/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
