This study explored the influence of attributional style for soccer failure on self‐esteem and persistence in soccer and the interactional effect of perceived importance of soccer competence on these relationships. A representative sample of 223 12‐ to 16‐year‐old boys who played soccer in the organized league in Oslo in 1983 were studied. Internal and stable attributions for failure in soccer were individually predictive of low soccer‐related self‐esteem. In addition, there were significant interaction effects of internal and stable attributions for failure in soccer and high perceived importance of soccer competence on low soccer‐related self‐esteem and on increased dropout from soccer. Earlier research has shown that attributional style can be altered, and self‐evaluation possitively influenced by attribution retraining. Young soccer players with low soccer‐related self‐esteem and, in particular, those who also highly value their soccer abilities, may be a potential target group for a