Football is not about suffering. It's about enjoyment. Control the ball, be friendly with it, try to attack, try to score goals. Of course defending is part of it, but you can defend in a lot of ways.
Interpretation
Football should be played with enjoyment, not just suffering through defense.
In this quote, Johan Cruyff emphasizes that football (soccer) is fundamentally about enjoyment and creativity rather than solely focused on the struggles associated with defending. He encourages players to engage with the ball, to enjoy their time on the field, and to pursue offensive play—attacking and scoring goals—while recognizing that defending can be approached in various ways without sacrificing the joy of the game.
In practice
A coach might use this quote to inspire their team before a match, reminding them to enjoy the game.
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