Top 10 Ted Lasso Quotes to Live By

It’s established early on how selfless Ted Lasso is, and this is one quality that helps him win people over. Not long into Ted’s tenure as the Richmond coach, Trent Crimm, the tough-as-nails reporter for The Independent, is commissioned to write an up close and personal profile on him. The two have an eventful day, culminating in a super spicy supper at an Indian restaurant. Crimm thinks it’s irresponsible of Ted to coach a sport he knows nothing about, but Ted assures him - in between fire breaths - that success means something different to him. It’s a moment that changes Crimm’s perception of Ted, and assures us, the audience, that the first step in achieving our goals, is being our truest selves.

One of the major themes of the show is the power of belief, whether that be in oneself or in the collective strength of a team. It is so central to Ted Lasso that it literally hangs over the door of his office. When team owner Rebecca gives Ted a tour of the club, she shows him an old picture of the stadium, adding that people claim to still see ghosts from that era. Ted’s response proves that a belief in one’s own potential is far more important than anyone else’s validation. This, he later points out to Nate when he’s insecure about the strategy he suggests. And even though that belief may be crooked, all that matters is that it exists.

Well into the second season of the show, the Richmond team is still struggling, mostly due to a lack of effective leadership. Ted makes the team rewatch their recent loss, hoping that they’ll be able to learn from their mistakes, but this only results in them pointing fingers at each other. Ever the speechmaker, Ted informs the team of his new worldview. It’s a beautiful reminder to always stay positive even in difficult times, because more often than not, things tend to fall just in the right place. Your rom-com may have a slightly different ending than you imagined, but just like ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding,’ sometimes, it’s for the best.

One of the most prominent conflicts on the show is one that’s as old as time itself. The conflict between the young - super striker, Jamie Tartt, and old - midfielder (later turned assistant coach), Roy Kent. During the charity auction, Ted puts both players at the same table in a bid to mend their fences. This initially doesn’t go well, until Ted points out to Roy that he was once young and arrogant, just like Jamie. All he does is plant a seed of mentorship in Roy’s head and watches it germinate. We’re all a lot more similar than we think, even with people we do not like, and while we may not agree on everything, we can at least be respectful of each other.

On the surface, the premise of Ted Lasso is simple. A fish-out-of-water coach travels across the world to take on a job he has zero knowledge and experience for. Classic comedy trope. But it’s also much more complex than that, and nothing perfectly encapsulates that complexity than this. While on the plane with Coach Beard as they head overseas, Ted notes that stepping out of one’s comfort zone can be quite scary, littered with enough stress and anxiety to fill “two internets.” But sometimes, a little stress is what we need to perform at our very best. Ted lets his vulnerability shine through every step of the way in his new job, and is a great example to emulate because only when we’re vulnerable are we able to find our true voice.

Season Two starts on a pretty tragic note. Dani takes a penalty kick during a game and accidentally hits the Richmond mascot, Earl, sending it to dog heaven. At a press conference afterwards, Trent Crimm - The Independent - asks Ted about the unfortunate incident. Rather than pull out a clever response from his bank of eternally optimistic responses, Ted proceeds to tell a moving story. About being terrified of dogs after getting attacked by a neighbor’s, but later loving and caring for the same dog, before sadly having to put it down. Dealing with the loss of a loved one is always traumatic, but Ted acknowledges that their presence in our lives certainly helps us grow.

The first season of Ted Lasso takes the Richmond team on a rollercoaster of events, capping off with a last minute pass by former teammate, Jamie Tartt, and rival club Manchester City in their final game of the season. Naturally, the team is crushed. The faces of the devastated players and fans likely mirror those of the audience. Ted walks into the downtrodden locker room and reminds the players how important it is that they have each other to lean on in this collective moment of sadness. It’s a powerful message about teamwork and recognizing that a team should function as such in times of celebration and in times of loss.

In what is arguably one of the best scenes of the entire show, Ted agrees to a game of darts with Rupert, proposing that if Rupert loses, he’ll forfeit his seat in the owner’s box. Rupert takes him up on this, oblivious of how seasoned a dart player Ted is. Although initially losing, Ted recounts this rather impressive story about a Walt Whitman quote he once saw painted on a wall. This made him realize that the guys who underestimated him made wrong assumptions, instead of actually getting to know him. He then hits a bullseye and wins the game. Curiosity may kill the cat, but the satisfaction of knowledge will always bring it back.

The fifth episode of season one sees Ted having to make two difficult but important decisions, about his career and marriage. On the pitch, Jamie remains as arrogant and self-centered as ever, to the detriment of his teammates. This leads Ted to make a highly controversial decision to substitute him right before half-time, even after scoring both goals for the team. In the locker room, Ted highlights to his players how important it is to embrace change, in order to make progress. His decision pays off, as Richmond wins the match without Jamie. Ted also realizes he needs to embrace the change in his marriage, and eventually makes the painful yet admirable decision to let Michelle go.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions:

“One Piece,” “For the Children”
‘Metaphor’ Might Be Ted’s Middle Name

“Believe in ‘Believe’,” “The Hope That Kills You”
Ted Lasso Believes in Miracles

“All People Are Different People,” “Goodbye Earl”
Don’t Judge Books With Similar Covers

“Girl Listen,” “Goodbye Earl”
Thank You for Coming to Our TED Listen

One of the surprising stars on Ted Lasso is the young right back from Nigeria, Sam Obisanya. The player from the Nigerian Football League has trouble fitting in with his new teammates - a newcomer in a foreign land, much like Ted himself. After getting shown up by Jamie during a training session, Ted awkwardly tells Sam not to let mistakes weigh him down and to let them all go, just like a goldfish. Once Sam is able to do this, he fits right in with the rest of the team, eventually rising to become one of the top scorers, and a pretty influential player, gaining his team’s support on his Dubai Air protest. Ted even calls back to his goldfish advice in the first season finale after the team’s devastating loss.