Arjen Robben (; born 23 January 1984) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a winger. Known for his dribbling skills, speed, and long-range shots, he is regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest wingers of all time. He ranks second for the all-time Dutch top goalscorers (32) in the UEFA Champions League and is the all-time Dutch top assist provider (19) in the competition.
Robben first came to prominence with Groningen, for whom he was player of the year for the 2000âÂÂ01 Eredivisie season. Two years later he signed for PSV, where he became the Netherlands' Young Player of the Year and won an Eredivisie title. The following season Robben's signature was pursued by leading clubs, and after protracted transfer negotiations, he joined Chelsea in 2004. Robben's Chelsea debut was delayed through injury, but upon returning to fitness, he helped Chelsea bring home two consecutive Premier League titles, and was the Premier League Player of the Month in November 2004. After a third season in England which was punctuated by injury, Robben signed for Real Madrid in a transfer worth â¬35 million.
In August 2009, Robben transferred to Bayern Munich for a fee of around â¬25 million. In his first season in Munich, Bayern won the league title, Robben's fifth league title in eight years. Robben scored the winning goal in the 2013 Champions League final, being named in the Squad of the Season. In 2014, he was named in the FIFPro World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year, and fourth place in the Ballon d'Or. In Germany, he won 20 trophies, including eight Bundesliga titles and five DFB Pokals. During his long tenure at Bayern, Robben was also known for his fruitful partnership with fellow winger Franck Ribéry â together they were affectionately referred to by the nickname Robbery.
Robben started in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final, which the Netherlands lost to Spain. He also appeared at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 UEFA European Championships, and the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. In the latter, he won the Bronze Ball and was named in the tournament's All-Star Team.
Robben was born in Bedum, in the northeastern Netherlands. He took to football from an early age, becoming an adherent of the Coerver Method. Robben's skill in ball control and technical footwork made him a valuable player, and he was quickly signed by regional club FC Groningen. Here, he developed his distinctive style of cutting inside from the right onto his left foot to score some quite spectacular goals.
Groningen placed Robben in their first team for the 1999âÂÂ2000 season. He scored three goals in league play. Manager Jan van Dijk added the winger to the first team before Groningen's November 2000 away game against Twente, but he did not play until 3 December 2000 against RKC Waalwijk as a substitute for the injured Leonardo dos Santos in the 79th minute. During the winter, Robben managed to play himself into the starting lineup. In 18 starts for Groningen over the 2000âÂÂ01 season, he scored two goals. Robben was named player of the year for his first season with the club, and with teammate Jordi Hoogstrate, he demonstrated the strength of the Groningen youth academy. Robben stayed with Groningen and improved steadily during the 2001âÂÂ02 season, playing in 28 matches and scoring six goals. Robben transferred to PSV for â¬3.9 million before the 2002âÂÂ03 season.
During his first season for PSV, the 2002âÂÂ03 season, Robben played 33 matches and scored 12 goals. He was named "PSV co-player of the year" along with striker Mateja Keà ¾man, with whom he formed an attacking partnership still fondly referred to by PSV fans as "Batman and Robben". He helped lead PSV to their 17th Dutch title, and won the Talented Player of the Year award. After this good start, PSV could not keep up with rival Ajax and were forced into a fight for second place in the Eredivisie. Robben travelled to London and met with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Manchester United's offer came in much too low for PSV's and Robben's liking; PSV chairman Harry van Raaij told United that the most their â¬7 million offer would buy them was a shirt with Robben's autograph. Almost immediately, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich offered â¬18 million (ã12.1 million), and PSV accepted. The rest of his season with PSV was disappointing: he injured his hamstring twice and missed several games. By the end of the season, Robben scored five times in 23 Eredivisie matches.
Robben did not make his competitive debut for Chelsea until 23 October 2004 against Blackburn Rovers, as he was injured in a pre-season friendly match against Roma, breaking a metatarsal bone in his right foot in a challenge from Olivier Dacourt. During this time, he told club doctors that he had noticed an unfamiliar growth on one of his testicles. The medical team quickly did tests to check for testicular cancer, but he was subsequently given the all clear.
Robben proved to be a crucial player for the 2004âÂÂ05 season; in November 2004, he was awarded the Premier League Player of the Month award. Robben ended the 2004âÂÂ05 season with seven goals, his second highest professional total. He was shortlisted for the PFA Young Player of the Year, but was beaten by Manchester United's Wayne Rooney. Robben was badly injured in a Premier League match away to Blackburn Rovers and forced to sit out the 2005 Football League Cup Final, Chelsea's title run-in and progress to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Back to fitness for 2005âÂÂ06, Robben was an integral part of the Chelsea left wing. In 28 matches, Robben contributed six goals as Chelsea won a second consecutive Premier League championship, the first back-to-back titles for the west London club.
Robben was later named man of the match on 23 December 2006 against Wigan Athletic, a match where he got two assists and the winning goal.
Robben was inflicted with yet another injury in a match against Liverpool on 20 January 2007. Robben made his return in a 3âÂÂ0 victory against Middlesbrough in February, driving in a shot that took a deflection past Mark Schwarzer for an own goal by Abel Xavier. He came on as a substitute for Claude Makélélé in the 2007 League Cup final against Arsenal and set up the winning goal for Didier Drogba. Robben scored a goal in the second round of the Champions League against Porto, which led to Chelsea winning the tie 3âÂÂ2 on aggregate. At the end of March 2007, Robben underwent a knee operation after sustaining a knee injury upon returning from international duty that was expected to rule him out for at least four weeks. He only made two further appearances for Chelsea, both of which were as a substitute and both of which would prove to be key games for the club. His first appearance since returning from injury was against Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final second leg which went to penalties. Robben went on to have his penalty saved by Pepe Reina, and Chelsea ultimately lost.
Robben's final appearance for the club came against Manchester United in the 2007 FA Cup Final. Robben replaced Joe Cole at half-time, but was then substituted himself for Ashley Cole in extra time as Chelsea emerged victorious. Spanish club Real Madrid were interested in two of Chelsea's players. Then manager Bernd Schuster is said to have demanded Michael Ballack, while Real Madrid's then president Ramón Calderón was known to favour Robben. Robben said to reporters of Spanish newspaper AS, "I do not know when a deal will be reached. I would like to send a message to the Madrid fans, but I can't until my future is sorted."
Real Madrid eventually secured Robben's services in August 2007. He told Chelsea's official club website:
Robben completed his move to Real Madrid on a five-year deal on 22 August 2007, with the transfer fee reported as ã24 million (â¬35 million). He made his debut on 18 September as a substitute for Raúl during a Champions League match against Werder Bremen, which Real Madrid won 2âÂÂ1. His La Liga debut came on 23 September, as a substitute for Royston Drenthe in a 1âÂÂ1 away draw against Real Valladolid. On 10 February 2008, Robben scored his first goal, coming at home in a 7âÂÂ0 victory against Valladolid. Robben proved crucial for many Real Madrid matches, making his famous runs down the left wing and quickly became a first choice for the left midfield position, making 28 appearances during his debut season and scoring five goals. Real Madrid won the Liga title with multiple games to spare, and were already the champions of Spain when they played their arch-rivals Barcelona on 7 May 2008. The Barcelona players formed a guard of honour as the Madrid team came onto the pitch at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, and Robben played an important part in Real Madrid's subsequent 4âÂÂ1 victory, scoring the champions' second goal.
Robben retained his key role in the Real Madrid midfield during the 2008âÂÂ09 season, playing 35 times and scoring 8 goals. Although the Dutchman was one of the Spanish side's most important players in the pre-season games leading up to the 2009âÂÂ10 season, having scored three goals and help set up another four, he was among the players whose place in the first team became threatened following the arrival of Florentino Pérez and the signings of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká. Real Madrid accepted a bid of around â¬25 million for Robben from Bayern Munich. Robben claimed he was "forced" to leave Real Madrid, saying that he "didn't want to go, but the club wanted to sell him".
On 28 August 2009, Robben moved to Bayern Munich for around â¬25 million. He was given the number 10 jersey, last worn by his fellow Dutchman, Roy Makaay. On 9 March 2010, Robben scored the deciding goal in Bayern's 2âÂÂ3 defeat (4âÂÂ4 on aggregate over two legs) against Fiorentina, taking them through to the quarter-finals of the 2009âÂÂ10 Champions League on away goals.
On 7 April 2010, Robben sent Bayern into the semi-finals of the Champions League with a stunning volley against Manchester United from the edge of the area into the corner of the net. The game ended 3âÂÂ2 to United (4âÂÂ4 on aggregate), with Bayern advancing again due to away goals.
On 17 April 2010, he scored his first hat-trick in the Bundesliga against Hannover 96 in the Allianz Arena. The game ended 7âÂÂ0 to the Bavarians. On 8 May 2010, he won his first Bundesliga title with Bayern after scoring two goals in their 3âÂÂ1 victory over Hertha BSC, finishing as Bayern's top scorer in the process.
A week later, Bayern played in the DFB-Pokal final against the previous champions of the tournament, Werder Bremen, in Berlin's Olympiastadion. Bayern won the game 4âÂÂ0, with Robben scoring the first of his team's goals from a penalty kick. Robben thus helped the Bavarians achieve their 15th DFB-Pokal title. On 25 May 2010, Robben was named Footballer of the Year in Germany for 2010. He was the fourth foreigner and the first Dutchman to win the title. He finished the 2009âÂÂ10 season with 23 goals in 37 appearances.
The 2010âÂÂ11 season started poorly for Robben, after medical tests confirmed that his hamstring had not properly healed and would be out for two months. Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge stated that "Of course, Bayern Munich are very angry" with the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), and would be seeking compensation from them, continuing, "Once again we must pay the bill as a club after a player is seriously injured playing for a national team." On 15 January 2011, he returned to first-team action, coming on as a substitute in the 1âÂÂ1 away draw with VfL Wolfsburg.
Robben was nominated for the UEFA Champions League Best Midfielder award, but the award went to his international compatriot Wesley Sneijder. He has also been nominated for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award and the FIFA Puskás Award, which goes to the best goal of the year, and he has also been nominated for FIFA's FIFPro World XI 2010 squad thanks to his season with Bayern Munich. He finished the 2010âÂÂ11 season with 13 goals in 17 appearances.
In the second leg of the semi-finals of the 2011âÂÂ12 Champions League, against his former club Real Madrid, which was then managed by José Mourinho (who had been his manager at Chelsea), after Bayern fell behind 2âÂÂ0, Robben converted a penalty to level the tie at 3âÂÂ3. Bayern advanced to the final after winning the resulting penalty shootout.
On 3 May 2012, it was reported that Robben had signed a new contract with Bayern which would last until 2015.
Robben had an extra-time penalty saved by former teammate Petr ÃÂech in the 2012 Champions League final at the Allianz Arena against Chelsea. Had he scored, Bayern Munich would have led Chelsea 2âÂÂ1. The match, however, ended in a penalty shootout which Chelsea won. That was the fourth major cup final that he had been on the losing side during the last two years (FIFA World Cup final, two Champions League finals and the DFB-Pokal). Three days later in the same stadium, and while playing as a second-half substitute for the Netherlands in a friendly against Bayern Munich, he was jeered by some disgruntled Bayern fans every time he touched the ball (due to his penalty miss in the Champions League final, and as he did not play on Bayern's side during that match due to a decision taken by Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk). The match had been organised to compensate Bayern, since Robben aggravated an injury playing for the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup, and went on to miss several months of the 2010âÂÂ11 season. He finished the 2011âÂÂ12 season with 19 goals in 36 appearances.
In the 2012âÂÂ13 season, Robben played in the German Super Cup. He had started the season on the bench, as manager Jupp Heynckes preferred to start Thomas Müller on the right wing, with Toni Kroos at the attacking midfielder position. Robben had played through the season as a substitute but earned his chance to start again after Kroos was injured during the Champions League tie against Juventus. He started on the right wing for the rest of the season, having moved Müller back to the middle. Robben started against Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals of the DFB-Pokal and scored the game's lone goal in the 43rd minute. In the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, Robben started both games and scored in both, including the go-ahead goal in the second leg. Bayern would then go on to return to the final in Wembley Stadium. Robben atoned for his penalty missed the previous season by setting up teammate Mario Mandà ¾ukiÃÂ's goal to open the scoring in the 60th minute then netting an 89th-minute winner in a 2âÂÂ1 victory over Borussia Dortmund to give Bayern their fifth Champions League/European Cup title. During the presentation, he was named Man of the Match by UEFA. Hence, he has been called "Mr Wembley" since then. He finished the 2012âÂÂ13 season with 13 goals in 31 appearances.
Robben scored his first goals of the 2013âÂÂ14 season in the 2013 DFL-Supercup, a 4âÂÂ2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund. On 9 August 2013, his opening goal helped Bayern to a 3âÂÂ1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach in their first match of the 2013âÂÂ14 Bundesliga campaign. On 17 September, he scored in Bayern's Champions League opener against CSKA Moscow at the Allianz Arena. He went on to score two further goals during the Champions League group stage; in away wins against Manchester City and CSKA as Bayern finished as group winners. On 23 November, Robben was one of three scorers as Bayern beat title rivals Borussia Dortmund 3âÂÂ0 at the Westfalenstadion. On 4 December, Robben was substituted with a deep cut on his right knee in a 2âÂÂ0 DFB-Pokal win away to FC Augsburg which prevented him from taking part in the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup.
On 1 March 2014, Robben scored a hat-trick in Bayern's 5âÂÂ1 win over Schalke 04. On 19 March, he signed a contract extension with Bayern which will keep him at the club until 2017. On 9 April, Robben scored Bayern's third goal in a 3âÂÂ1 Champions League quarter-final against Manchester United, to secure qualification to the semi-finals. On 17 May, Robben scored Bayern's opening goal in a 2âÂÂ0 extra-time defeat of Borussia Dortmund in the 2014 DFB-Pokal Final, giving him his third league and cup double in five seasons with the club. His goal also made him the first player to score in three separate DFB-Pokal finals. On 13 July, after winning the third-place match at the 2014 World Cup, Louis van Gaal invited Robben to follow him to Manchester United, but the latter ruled out the move. He finished the 2013âÂÂ14 season with 21 goals in 45 appearances.
In Bayern's opening match of the 2014âÂÂ15 Bundesliga season, Robben scored one goal and assisted the other as the team defeated VfL Wolfsburg 2âÂÂ1 on 22 August 2014. On 1 November, he scored the winning goal from a penalty kick against Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker. On 16 December 2014, Robben scored his 100th competitive goal for Bayern Munich in a home match against SC Freiburg.
On 21 February 2015, Robben scored twice in a 6âÂÂ0 win against SC Paderborn, giving him the record of scoring against every Bundesliga team he had faced. He ended 2014âÂÂ15 alongside teammate Robert Lewandowski as joint second-top goalscorer in the Bundesliga with 17 goals. This was despite the player missing the last two months of the season through injury. He finished the 2014âÂÂ15 season with 19 goals in 30 appearances.
Robben started his 2015âÂÂ16 season by scoring the opening goal of the DFL-Supercup against VfL Wolfsburg. The match finished in a 1âÂÂ1 draw, and Robben scored in the subsequent shootout, however Bayern were defeated.
Robben's first goal of the Bundesliga season came from a penalty kick in a 3âÂÂ0 defeat of Bayer Leverkusen on 29 August. However, an injury suffered six days later when playing for the Netherlands against Iceland in qualification for UEFA Euro 2016 kept him out of Bayern's next nine fixtures. On 24 October, Robben returned to the Bayern team, playing 65 minutes and scoring the opening goal of a 4âÂÂ0 win against 1. FC Köln, the club's 1,000th Bundesliga victory. He made his first Champions League appearance of the season on 4 November, scoring after coming on as a substitute in Bayern's 5âÂÂ1 win over Arsenal. He finished the 2015âÂÂ16 season with seven goals in 22 appearances.
Robben, recovering from his injury, was chosen for a friendly against SV Lippstadt 08. He scored a goal, shortly before being substituted because of another injury in the 36th minute. Robben's six-week injury caused him to miss several matches. He returned to training and remained on the bench until 21 September Bundesliga match against Hertha BSC, where he came on instead of Thomas Müller and scored in the 3âÂÂ0 victory. Robben scored in both first and second leg of the round-of-sixteen tie against Arsenal as Bayern won 10âÂÂ2 on aggregate. He finished the 2016âÂÂ17 season with 16 goals in 37 appearances.
On 16 January 2017, Robben signed a one-year extension with Bayern, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2017âÂÂ18 season. He scored a goal with his right foot for the first time since February 2015 in a 4âÂÂ0 victory over 1. FSV Mainz 05 on 16 September. On 18 October, Robben made his 100th Champions League appearance in a 3âÂÂ0 victory over Celtic F.C. in the group stage match of the competition. On 4 November, Robben scored a stunning goal in a 3âÂÂ1 away win over their Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker which made him Bayern's most successful non-German scorer in the Bundesliga and the most successful Dutch goal scorer in the Bundesliga. He scored twice in a 6âÂÂ0 away victory over SC Paderborn as Bayern went on through to the semi-final of DFB-Pokal on 6 February 2018. On 25 April, he had an injury within the first ten minutes of the Champions League semi-final first leg against Real Madrid, which forced him to miss the rest of the season.
Robben won his seventh Bundesliga title and set a Dutch record by winning his 11th career domestic league title surpassing Dutch legend Johan Cruyff's 10 career domestic league titles. He finished the 2017âÂÂ18 season with seven goals in 34 appearances.
On 11 May 2018, Robben signed a one-year contract; extending his stay until the end of the 2018âÂÂ19 season.
On 12 August, he started the season by playing in the 2018 DFL-Supercup for 58 minutes and won the title as Bayern defeated Eintracht Frankfurt with a 5âÂÂ0 victory. On 27 November, Robben scored two goals in a 5âÂÂ1 win against S.L. Benfica in the Champions League. On 2 December, Robben said in an interview: "I can say that this is my last year [at Bayern] and it is good like that. I think it is the right moment after ten years. The club moves on and I may move on. It is the end of a very good and long period."
On 18 May 2019, he scored his last league goal for Bayern in Bundesliga making it a 5âÂÂ1 victory against Frankfurt, which meant Bayern winning their 28th Bundesliga title and Robben winning his eighth. On 25 May 2019, Robben won his fifth DFB-Pokal as Bayern defeated RB Leipzig 3âÂÂ0 in the 2019 DFB-Pokal Final. He finished the 2018âÂÂ19 season with six goals in 19 appearances. In 201 Bundesliga matches he scored 99 goals.
On 4 July 2019, Robben announced his decision to retire from football.
On 27 June 2020, Robben announced his return to the game, signing with FC Groningen, the club he started his career with, in an effort to help the team recover from COVID-19 setbacks. He scored his first goal for Groningen in a pre-season friendly against Arminia Bielefeld. On 13 September 2020, he made his league debut for Groningen against PSV, but he was substituted after only 28 minutes due to injury. After a nearly seven-month absence, he made his return as a substitute in a loss to SC Heerenveen on 11 April 2021. Robben returned in Groningen's starting line-up on 9 May; he provided two assists in a 4âÂÂ0 win at Emmen.
On 15 July 2021, Robben announced his second and final retirement from professional football.
In April 2003, he made his Netherlands international debut in a friendly match against Portugal at age 19.
Robben's first participation at an international tournament came at UEFA Euro 2004 when manager Dick Advocaat called up younger players, such as Wesley Sneijder and John Heitinga. During the group stage of the tournament, Advocaat substituted Robben in the 66th minute to defend a 2âÂÂ1 lead over the Czech Republic. The Czechs, however, then scored two goals and won 3âÂÂ2, which led to criticism about Advocaat's decision. In the quarter-finals, Robben scored the deciding kick in the penalty shootout between the Netherlands and Sweden, which ensured that at the fifth attempt, the Dutch finally won a shootout.
Robben played in his first 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier in 2006. In six games for the Netherlands, Robben scored two goals. The Netherlands qualified for the 2006 World Cup and in their opening match against Serbia and Montenegro, Robben scored the winning goal in the 18th minute, and was named the Player of the match. In the match against the Ivory Coast, Robben received this award the second time, thus becoming one of the eight players in the tournament to have won multiple Man of the Match awards.
During Euro 2008, new Dutch manager Marco van Basten changed the side's formation to 4âÂÂ2âÂÂ3âÂÂ1, preferring the midfield trio of Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder and Dirk Kuyt, with Robben left to battle for a position with Robin van Persie on the wing. In the group match against France, which the Netherlands won 4âÂÂ1, Robben was brought on at half-time. He dragged the ball out of reach of a defender near the half-way line and paced his way ahead of three defenders, then crossed straight to Van Persie, who powered a shot into the goal past France goalkeeper Grégory Coupet. At 2âÂÂ0, Thierry Henry scored a goal for France, making it 2âÂÂ1, but almost directly after the restart, Robben was played through by Sneijder and he ran at the France goal and was forced into an acute angle, but despite the angle, he shot the ball into the net past Coupet.
Robben was selected by new manager Bert van Marwijk for the final 23-man Dutch squad for the 2010 World Cup. In the team's last friendly match against Hungary, just before its flight to South Africa on 4 June, Robben fell awkwardly and picked up a hamstring injury, causing concern over his fitness for the tournament. On 5 June, Van Marwijk announced that he had "decided not to summon any substitute for Arjen. I want to give him every chance to still participate in the World Cup". On 12 June, Robben arrived in South Africa to join the team. He was an unused substitute for the opening match against Denmark as they coasted to a 2âÂÂ0 victory, and again in the 1âÂÂ0 victory against Japan. He came on in the 73rd minute against Cameroon in their 2âÂÂ1 victory, hitting the post from which Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored from the rebound.
On 28 June 2010, Robben started his first match against Slovakia in which he went on to score the first goal in the second round as the Netherlands won 2âÂÂ1. He also won the man of the match award. Robben scored the third goal with a well-placed header in the semi-finals against Uruguay which the Netherlands won 3âÂÂ2 to reach the final. Robben played for the full match in the final as the Netherlands lost 1âÂÂ0 to Spain. Robben had Netherlands's best opportunity of the match when played in on goal by Wesley Sneijder in the 62nd minute of the match, but was denied by Iker Casillas. Robben was nominated for the 2010 World Cup Golden Ball, the tournament's best player, which was won by Diego Forlán.
Robben was selected to play for the Netherlands at Euro 2012. He started in the first group stage match, a 1âÂÂ0 loss to Denmark, in which he hit the post with a curled effort. In the next match, a 2âÂÂ1 loss to Germany, he hopped over the advertising boards and walked the long way round after being subbed off for Dirk Kuyt because he thought he could have inspired the Netherlands to a win. After a 2âÂÂ1 loss to Portugal, the Netherlands were knocked out with three straight defeats.
In the Netherlands' first match of the 2014 World Cup, Robben scored two goals in a 5âÂÂ1 win over Spain. In the Netherlands' second group stage match, a 3âÂÂ2 win over Australia, Robben scored the team's opening goal as they qualified for the knockout stage. In the round of 16 knock-out match with Mexico, the Netherlands won on a penalty awarded after Robben went down following a challenge from Rafael Márquez. The Associated Press said that Robben's "theatrical" fall "did little to defuse the debate about his reputation for diving". Robben maintained that the penalty was correct but admitted to falling easily earlier in the match, telling a Dutch TV channel that "the one [at the end] was a penalty, but the other one was a dive in the first half. I shouldn't be doing that".
In the quarter-final, Robben scored the Netherlands' second kick in a 4âÂÂ3 penalty shootout defeat of Costa Rica. On 11 July, Robben was named on the ten-man shortlist for FIFA's Golden Ball award for the tournament's best player.
On 28 August 2015, Robben was named captain of the Netherlands, replacing Robin van Persie.
On 10 October 2017, Robben retired from international football after the team's unsuccessful 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign. He collected 96 caps between 2003 and 2017 for the Oranje and scored 37 goals.
Throughout most of his career, Robben was regarded as one of the best wingers in the world, with ESPN stating he is "able to take on and beat defenders at the drop of a hat, Robben's ability to get to the byline and deliver in accurate crosses instils fear into any defence". Usually deployed on the right wing, Robben employed his signature move by cutting inside on his stronger left foot to move to a more central attacking position, and used his speed and dribbling skills to take on defenders until he found the space to make an attempt on goal. Robben had a noticeable preference for using his dominant foot throughout his career: he scored 134 league goals with his left foot, while only ten league goals came with his weaker right foot.
During the course of a match Robben would often drift to the left wing, with his teammate, in the case of Bayern Munich, Franck Ribéry, switching over to the right. Another factor in his playing style is his relationship with the right-sided full-back. At Bayern, this partnership with Philipp Lahm had benefits for the team's efficiency and chemistry. Robben's defensive work improved when he went to Bayern where he often tracked back and covered for his partner when he pushed forward and became a temporary right back.
Robben was often accused of diving, and at times he openly admitted to the charges. In December 2011, Robben apologised for a dive against VfL Bochum in a DFB-Pokal match which earned him a yellow card, saying, "I must not do things like this." In July 2014, Robben admitted to diving in the first half of Netherlands' match against Mexico in the last 16 round of the 2014 World Cup, but maintained that he had not dived for the decisive penalty he won in stoppage time which Netherlands converted to win 2âÂÂ1. Following the incident, Robben's former manager at Chelsea, José Mourinho, said that Robben's speed and creativity cause opponents who cannot stop him to foul him, but "sometimes [Robben] tries to get an advantage, or to get a penalty".
Earlier in his career, Robben also drew criticism from pundits and other players for his perceived selfishness, his lack of composure in important games, and for his struggles with injuries throughout his career, which were initially thought to have limited his potential; however, he worked to develop his physique and the mental aspect of his game, and became a more consistent and world class team player as his career progressed, who was known for providing a good number of assists as well as scoring goals himself.
In August 2025, Robben competed in the at the CUPRA FIP Bronze tournament in Westerbork, appearing on the professional padel circuit. According to the International Padel Federation (FIP), he and partner Werner Lootsma won a qualifying match before being eliminated in the first round of the main draw.
Robben married his girlfriend Bernadien Eillert on 9 June 2007 in Groningen. The two met while in high school in the city, at the Kamerlingh Onnes, and have two sons, Luka (born 2008) and Kai (born 2012) and a daughter, Lynn (born 2010). Robben's father, Hans, works as his agent.
Robben has a sponsorship deal with German sportswear and equipment supplier Adidas. Robben featured in EA Sports' FIFA video game series before his retirement, and was the third-highest-rated player in FIFA 15.
Robben scored his first ever international goal in October 2003 during a UEFA Euro 2004 qualifier against Moldova. He ultimately decided to retire from international duty in 2017 following their unsuccessful qualifying campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
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