While soccer fans are mostly inspired by soccer players, the truth is that coaches know a thing or two about motivation. If they can help a group of people bring the best out of themselves, they can also inspire the rest of the world. These are some of the best quotes from the most successful coaches in the game of soccer:
1. “I will forgive if the players cannot get it right, but not if they do not try hard.” ― Pep Guardiola, Manchester City coach who revolutionized modern soccer at FC Barcelona and went on to win multiple league and European titles.
2. “To be the ultimate team, you must use your body and your mind. Draw up on the resources of your teammates. Remember, only teams succeed.” ― José Mourinho, AS Roma manager who won Champions League trophies with Porto and Inter Milan.
3. “Young players need freedom of expression to develop as creative players. They should be encouraged to try skills without fear of falling.” ― Arsène Wenger, longest-tenured and most successful manager in Arsenal FC history.
4. “There is no room for criticism on the training field. For a player and for any human being there is nothing better than hearing ‘well done.’ Those are the two best words ever invented in sports. You don’t need to use superlatives.” — Sir Alex Ferguson, former Manchester United coach who delivered 38 trophies between 1986 and 2013.
5. “I once cried because I had no shoes to play soccer, but one day, I met a man who had no feet.” ― Zinedine Zidane, winner of three consecutive Champions League trophies at the helm of Real Madrid between 2016 and 2018.
6. “I am José Mourinho and I don’t change. I arrive with all my qualities and my defects.” ― José Mourinho.
7. “I don't like it when a player says, 'I like freedom; I want to play for myself.' Because the player has to understand he is part of a team with ten other players. If everyone wants to be a jazz musician, it will be chaos. They will not be a team, and nothing will be possible.” ― Pep Guardiola.
8. “I’m a believer that emotions can move mountains, that spirit alone can trump budgets.” ― Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid coach who won league titles in Argentina before leading Atleti to their first LaLiga title in 18 years.
9. “The most important thing about a person is that they know who they are and what they want. You should be capable of introspection and evaluate yourself.” ―Louis van Gaal, former Netherlands coach who won titles with Ajax, FC Barcelona, and Bayern Munich.
10. “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, and I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.” ― Bill Shankly, who led Liverpool back to the English top-flight in 1962 and went on to win three First Division titles.
11. “To be a soccer player means being a privileged interpreter of the feelings and dreams of thousands of people.” ― César Luis Menotti, former coach who led Argentina to their first World Cup title in 1978 with a revolutionary style of play.
12. “You can’t score a goal if you don’t take a shot” ― Johan Cruyff, former coach of FC Barcelona and Ajax who helped to develop tactics in modern soccer.
13. “My values stemmed from my family. Anything I have achieved in life has been rooted in my upbringing.” ― Brian Clough, former coach who won two European Cups with Nottingham Forest.
14. “Life is too short not to celebrate nice moments!” ― Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool coach. Led Dortmund to two Bundesligas before winning the first Premier League trophy for Liverpool as well as a Champions League title.
15. “Nobody has enough talent to live on talent alone. Even when you have talent, a life without work goes nowhere.” ― Arsene Wenger.
16. “A man with new ideas is a madman, until his ideas triumph.” ― Marcelo Bielsa, Argentine coach who won a reputation for his offensive-minded tactics as well as his approach to life.
17. “Winning is not the most important thing, it is the only thing. Being second is not worth it. Do you know who set foot in America after Columbus? I do not.” ― Carlos Bilardo, coach of the 1986 Argentina World Cup winning team whose soccer philosophy consisted in doing whatever it took to win.
18. “It needs time. Nobody wants to hear it, but that's the truth: if you want to have success in the future, you have to be ready to work now.” ― Jurgen Klopp.
19. “I don’t believe much in luck. I believe more in work, in conviction, in stubbornness, and in capacity.” ― Diego Simeone.
20. “Our country [England] has been through difficult experiences in terms of unity. Sport—football [soccer] in particular—has the power to help with that. It is a special feeling.” ― Gareth Southgate, English manager who led England to first World Cup semifinals since 1990.
