Say what? Is that the same as the "it's not the winning, it's the taking part" mantra for perpetual losers?
Football, as a team sport, is about competition. I agree that not everyone can win the league or the cup, but they should be learning how to compete and not just kick a ball. If you go into a game thinking "it doesn't really matter if we beat them or not" then guess what? They'll get beat. If they go in thinking "we have the talent, the skill and the tactics to beat this opposition" then they are going in with the right attitude and they have a good chance of winning.
It is only in individual sports where the person can claim that they are seeking only to improve on their personal best or their ranking position, even if that means they come last in a race or fail to win the medal on the course. A team is, correctly, judged on their results and their league position.
If these lads are looking to take up professional football as a career, I am sure they will be very aware of the need to demonstrate competitive spirit. Otherwise they are just making up numbers.