There are many things about Ted Lasso that makes it such a hit series including the sports scenes and the hilarious moments in every episode. That being said, the true highlight is the well-rounded and fleshed-out characters. They all boast personalities that are engaging to watch and audiences can relate to them.
The writing on the series is top-notch, evidenced by the multiple Emmy nominations it scored in that department. Each of the main characters gets to spout fantastic dialogue and in a lot of cases, there are at least a few lines that explain a lot about their personality.
Trent Crimm, The Independent
"If The Lasso Way Is Wrong, It's Hard To Imagine Being Right."
Trent Crimm's name simply cannot be said without adding, "The Independent" to the end of it since it's how he always introduces himself. It'll be odd in season 3 to hear him now that he has left the publication. These words are written by Crimm following the time he spent with Ted Lasso.
The concept of the interview is a ploy to make Ted look bad but Trent is quickly won over by the coach. It's a trend of the show to have Ted get on everyone's good side and these words express how Trent ultimately grows. He goes from the skeptic with a negative outlook to someone who believes in Ted and sees things differently afterward.
Dani Rojas
"Football Is Life."
If there's one character who might beat Ted Lasso in terms of upbeat positivity, it's Dani Rojas. As soon as he debuts on the show, he brings energy to every scene because he believes that "football is life." That's more than just a quote for him, as it's actually like a way of life and a motto.
As long as Dani gets to play his favorite sport, he's going to be happy. He hit a speed bump in the season 2 premiere after a kick killed the team mascot and he believed football was death but after a session with Dr. Sharon, he is back to his old ways.
Nate Shelley
"God, This Place Is So Posh. Feel Like I'm Not Supposed To Be Here."
Nate Shelley transforms from arguably the most likable character on Ted Lasso to a villain by the end of season 2. A lot of that character development stems from the fact that Nate never really feels like he's good enough. He calls himself a nobody at first and though he becomes a coach, he still sees himself as kind of out of place.
This is a quote he delivers while shopping for fancy clothes with Keeley but it lines up with everything Nate feels about himself. He doesn't think he's worthy of being anywhere that is special and even when he's there, he is uncomfortable with it.
Coach Beard
"And If You Wanna Pick A Player's Feelings Over A Coach's Duty To Make A Point...I Don't Wanna Drink With Someone That Selfish."
There is no character more difficult to pin down than Coach Beard. He's an enigma by nature, never revealing too much about himself but dishing out small unexpected bits of his life like how he was once paid to bite someone. There is one thing that he clearly cares about that and that's the team.
Although Coach Beard always has Ted's back, he is also the one to call him out when needed. That's displayed here when Beard flat out tells him that he's being selfish if he thinks that protecting Roy's ego is more important than doing what is needed for the team to win.
Jamie Tartt
"I'm Me, Why Would I Want To Be Anyone Else?"
The entire arc for Jamie Tartt throughout the series has to do with his ego and arrogance. He is a selfish player in season 1 and Jamie's incredible level of talent combined with how poorly his father treats him leads him to think he has to do everything himself.
Jamie says this response that kind of lays out how he thinks early on, believing it's best to be his special self than be anyone else. Of course, Jamie changes his tune and becomes more of a team player over time. His growth is one of the show's highlights.
Sam Obisanya
"Dubai Air Is Owned By A Horrible Company. One That Has Turned The Southern Coast Of Nigeria, My Home, Into A Hellish, Fiery Swamp. I can No Longer Wear Their Name On My Chest. Never Again.”
There's a good chance that the best person on AFC Richmond is Sam Obisanya. He's basically the ultimate good guy and his heart is huge. A season 2 episode sees him step up in a major way when it comes to fighting for the things that he believes in.
Dubai Air caused harm to his home country and Sam takes a stand against them despite them being a huge sponsor for the team. It takes a ton of courage for Sam to do this and showcases the kind of person he is. He'll do what's right even if it hurts his career.
Keeley Jones
"You Helped This Panda Become A Lion."
Keeley Jones ultimately gets some of the greatest and most memorable lines of the entire series. At first, it could seem like Keeley will be just another pretty face as the model girlfriend of Jamie Tartt. However, she quickly proves to have a brilliant mind and to be quite ambitious.
With the help of her best friend Rebecca, Keeley gets a job on the team and by the season 2 finale, is offered the chance to run her own PR firm. She says this to Rebecca when the news breaks and it works to explain the friendship they have and the fact that she has moved on up in the world.
Rebecca Welton
"Sure, You Don't Know What You're Doing But Doesn't That Mean That You See The Game In A Different Way Than Any Other Football Manager? And Shouldn't That Empower You To Cause Complete And Utter Confusion?"
The trajectory of Rebecca Welton as a character is an interesting one as she goes from someone who wants Ted Lasso to ruin the team to one of his biggest supporters and best friends. This quote is actually kind of telling of how far Rebecca has come in that sense.
It doesn't detail who she is as a person in total but it shows that not only is she supportive of Ted but that she also is successful because of how she thinks. As she advises Ted, Rebecca is different from the other owners in the league and that is why both of them do well.
Roy Kent
"It's More Than A Game To Me. It's All I've Ever Known. It's Who I Am. It's All I Am."
Before he meets Keeley, Roy Kent really is just a footballer. He lives, breathes, and sleeps the game that he has played his entire life. So, it makes sense that he struggles with the fact that his career is coming to a close and he says this to Keeley.
Not only does this detail how Roy sees himself but it also explains how much he loves soccer. Of course, Keeley is there to let him know that there is actually more to him than the sport. Despite that, Roy finds his way back to the game as a pundit and coach in season 2.
Ted Lasso
"If You're Comfortable While You're Doing It, You're Probably Doing It Wrong."
As noted, Ted Lasso seems to win everyone over with his endless charm. He's the nicest guy around and he is known to deliver the cheesiest of jokes and lines that end up being endearing to whoever he meets. Quotes like this are par for the course when it comes to Ted.
The reason that this line feels so fitting for him is the idea of not being comfortable. Ted Lasso left his college football job (which he was good at) to go to a new country and coach a sport he doesn't fully understand. It makes him uncomfortable but clearly, he's doing something right.