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In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “No Cat Without the Sack” is a rare card of the Italian Memes pack, number 69 of the collection, and the 76th best-known meme of its 300 cards. Here is what the meme means, where it comes from, and how to get its card.
What does the “No Cat Without the Sack” meme mean?
The episode is referenced to fondly mock an idiom translated too literally, losing all its meaning in the target language.
Where does the “No Cat Without the Sack” meme come from?
Ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifying play-off against Estonia in Tallinn, Giovanni Trapattoni, then manager of the Republic of Ireland national team, literally translated the Italian proverb Non dire gatto se non ce l'hai nel sacco, producing the sentence No say the cat is in the sac when you have not the cat in the sac, intending to warn against underestimating the opponent. The remark remains one of the most famous examples of his idiosyncratic English, distinct from his separate 1998 outburst against player Thomas Strunz while managing Bayern Munich.
- 2012Giovanni Trapattoni translates the cat proverb ahead of a match against Estonia
How to use the “No Cat Without the Sack” meme
- Don't count your chickens, or as Trapattoni would say, no say the cat.
- He pulled out his Trapattoni-style English again, no say the cat is in the sac.
- Never celebrate the win before it happens, pure no-say-the-cat spirit.
Also searched as
- No say the cat is in the sac when you have not the cat in the sac
- Giovanni Trapattoni cat in the sac quote
- Trapattoni Ireland Estonia 2012 press conference
- Trapattoni cat in the sac English
- Trapattoni famous English quotes
The “No Cat Without the Sack” card in MyMemeCards
| Number | No. 069 |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Rare |
| Collection | Italian Memes pack |
| Fame | 55/100 · #76 of 300 |
| Recycle value | 10 MemeCoins (30 in Shiny) |
How to get the “No Cat Without the Sack” card
Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; No Cat Without the Sack comes out of the Italian Memes pack as a rare card. The pack odds say what each rarity weighs.
Your first pack is free and needs no account. After that a new free pack lands every 10 minutes, up to 3 waiting for you. You can also buy the card with MemeCoins on the market, bid for it at auction, or trade it — and a double recycles into 10 MemeCoins.
Open your free pack
5 meme cards, one of them at least Rare. One free pack per person.
Free · no account needed
Odds per card, averaged over a pack: Common 72%, Rare 23.9%, Epic 3.2%, Legendary 0.56%, Mythic 0.3%, Full Art ≤ 0.1%, Shiny 0.2%. Cards 1 to 3 are always Common, cards 4 and 5 climb the rarities. Rates drop for cards that circulate a lot. Details
Memes like “No Cat Without the Sack”
More cards of the Italian Memes pack
Frequently asked questions
Who said this strange English translation?
Giovanni Trapattoni, manager of the Republic of Ireland national team.
What did he mean by this sentence?
Not to underestimate the opponent before the victory is secured.
How do I get the No Cat Without the Sack meme card?
Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “No Cat Without the Sack” is a rare card of the Italian Memes pack. Your first pack is free, with no account, and you can also buy, trade or win the card at auction.
How rare is the No Cat Without the Sack card?
It is a Rare card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.
Sources: MilanoToday, articolo sul nuovo show di Trapattoni · Attualissimo, articolo sulle frasi di Trapattoni · CdT, articolo sulle citazioni celebri di Trapattoni · checked on November 5, 2026.
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Want No Cat Without the Sack in your collection?
Open your free pack: 5 meme cards, no account needed.