This time, it’s promised, sworn, spat. Arjen Robben announced this Thursday on social networks “a very difficult choice”: the former Dutch international puts an end to his career, at 37 years old. If you are fluent in the language of Dave and Paul Verhoeven, we give you the original statement below.
Beste voetbalvrienden,
Ik heb besloten om te stoppen met mijn actieve voetbalcarrière. Een heel moeilijke keuze. Ik wil iedereen bedanken voor alle hartverwarmende steun!
Groetjes, Arjen pic.twitter.com/aAEdxdL5tU
– Arjen Robben (@ArjenRobben) July 15, 2021
The winger with the divine left foot had already done the blow in the summer of 2019, after ten glorious seasons at Bayern Munich. He had plunged again a few months later, joining the Netherlands and Groningen, his training club, for a final freelance marred by injuries, a constant throughout his career.
The Grail with Bayern
Despite his physical weaknesses, Robben has built a splendid club record, including two English league titles with Chelsea, one Spanish champion with Real Madrid and eight in the Bundesliga with Bayern, where the alter ego by Franck Ribéry has reached the Grail: victory in the 2013 Champions League.
In the national team, over 96 selections (for 33 goals), the very lively Oranje striker turned around glory without touching it with his finger alongside Van Persie, Van der Vaart and Sneijder. With in particular this World Cup final lost against Spain in 2010 (0-1, after extra time), marked by two huge chances against Iker Casillas.