Arjen Robben facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Arjen Robben

Robben with Bayern Munich in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Arjen Robben
Date of birth	(1984-01-23) 23 January 1984 (age 41)
Place of birth	Bedum, Netherlands
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Youth career
1989–1996	VV Bedum
1996–2000	Groningen
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2002	Groningen	46	(8)
2002–2004	PSV	56	(17)
2004–2007	Chelsea	67	(15)
2007–2009	Real Madrid	50	(11)
2009–2019	Bayern Munich	201	(99)
2020–2021	Groningen	6	(0)
Total		426	(150)
International career
1999	Netherlands U15	1	(0)
1999–2000	Netherlands U16	11	(4)
2000	Netherlands U17	3	(1)
2001–2002	Netherlands U19	8	(2)
2001–2003	Netherlands U21	8	(1)
2003–2017	Netherlands	96	(37)
Medal record Representing  Netherlands Men's football FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2010 South Africa Third 2014 Brazil UEFA European Championship Bronze 2004 Portugal
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Arjen Robben (born January 23, 1984) is a famous Dutch former professional footballer. He played as a winger, which is a player who runs down the sides of the field. Robben was known for his amazing dribbling skills, incredible speed, and powerful long-range shots. Many people think he is one of the best wingers ever in football history.

Robben first became well-known playing for Groningen. He was even named their player of the year for the 2000–01 season. Two years later, he joined PSV, where he won the "Netherlands' Young Player of the Year" award and an Eredivisie title. After that, many big clubs wanted him. In 2004, he moved to Chelsea in England.

Robben's start at Chelsea was delayed because of an injury. But once he was fit, he helped Chelsea win two Premier League titles in a row. He was even named the Premier League Player of the Month in November 2004. After three seasons in England, he moved to Real Madrid in 2007.

In 2009, Robben joined Bayern Munich in Germany. In his first season there, Bayern won the league title. This was Robben's fifth league title in eight years! He scored the winning goal in the 2013 UEFA Champions League final, a huge game for European clubs. He won many trophies with Bayern, including eight Bundesliga titles. At Bayern, he and fellow winger Franck Ribéry were a fantastic team, often called Robbery.

Robben also played for the Netherlands national team. He played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final, where the Netherlands lost to Spain. He also played in the UEFA European Championships and the FIFA World Cups in 2006 and 2014. In the 2014 World Cup, he won the Bronze Ball award for being one of the best players. He retired from football in 2019 but made a brief return to play for his first club, Groningen, in 2020, before retiring for good in 2021.

Early Life and Football Start

Robben was born in Bedum, a town in the northeastern part of the Netherlands. He loved football from a very young age. He learned a special way of playing called the Coerver Method, which focuses on ball control and fancy footwork.

His amazing skills quickly caught the eye of a local club, FC Groningen. There, he developed his unique style of play. He would often cut in from the right side of the field onto his stronger left foot to score spectacular goals.

Club Career Highlights

Playing for Groningen

Robben joined Groningen's main team for the 1999–2000 season. He scored three goals in his first league games. He made his official debut in December 2000. He quickly became a regular player.

In the 2000–01 season, he played 18 games and scored two goals. He was even named the player of the year for Groningen. He stayed with the club and got better, scoring six goals in 28 games during the 2001–02 season.

Moving to PSV

Before the 2002–03 season, Robben moved to PSV for about €3.9 million. In his first season with PSV, he played 33 games and scored 12 goals. He was named "PSV co-player of the year" with Mateja Kežman. Fans even called them "Batman and Robben"!

He helped PSV win their 17th Dutch league title. After this great start, big clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea wanted to sign him. Chelsea offered €18 million, and PSV accepted. The rest of his time at PSV was affected by injuries.

Time at Chelsea

Robben celebrates winning the 2004–05 Premier League

Robben's first game for Chelsea was on October 23, 2004. He had been injured in a pre-season game. During his recovery, he had a health scare that thankfully turned out to be nothing serious.

He became a very important player for Chelsea in the 2004–05 season. In November 2004, he won the "Premier League Player of the Month" award. He scored seven goals that season and was nominated for the "PFA Young Player of the Year" award.

In the 2005–06 season, Robben was a key part of Chelsea's attack. He scored six goals in 28 games as Chelsea won their second Premier League title in a row. This was the first time Chelsea had won back-to-back titles.

In the 2006–07 season, Robben continued to play well. He was named man of the match in a game against Wigan Athletic, where he helped set up goals and scored the winning one. He also helped Chelsea win the League Cup final against Arsenal.

Robben scored a crucial goal in the Champions League against Porto, helping Chelsea win the match. After three years at Chelsea, Robben moved to Real Madrid in August 2007. He said it was hard to leave Chelsea because he had made many friends and won many trophies there.

Playing for Real Madrid

Robben playing for Real Madrid in 2009

Robben joined Real Madrid on August 22, 2007, for about £24 million. He made his first appearance for them in a Champions League match. His first goal came in February 2008, in a big 7–0 win.

Robben was very important for Real Madrid, often making his famous runs down the left side of the field. He played 28 games in his first season and scored five goals. Real Madrid won the La Liga title that year. Robben scored a goal in their 4–1 win against their rivals, Barcelona.

He continued to be a key player in the 2008–09 season, playing 35 times and scoring 8 goals. However, when new star players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká joined Real Madrid, Robben's place in the team was not guaranteed. Real Madrid decided to sell him, and he moved to Bayern Munich. Robben later said he felt "forced" to leave Real Madrid, even though he didn't want to.

Success at Bayern Munich

2009–10 Season

Robben with Bayern Munich in 2010

On August 28, 2009, Robben joined Bayern Munich. He was given the number 10 jersey. In March 2010, Robben scored a vital goal against Fiorentina in the Champions League, helping Bayern reach the quarter-finals.

He scored another amazing goal against Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals, sending Bayern to the semi-finals. In April 2010, he scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game) in the Bundesliga.

On May 8, 2010, he won his first Bundesliga title with Bayern. He scored two goals in the final game. A week later, Bayern won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup), with Robben scoring the first goal from a penalty. Robben was named "Footballer of the Year in Germany" for 2010. He scored 23 goals in 37 games that season.

2010–11 Season

The 2010–11 season started with bad news for Robben. He had a hamstring injury that kept him out for two months. Bayern Munich was very upset with the Dutch football association because the injury happened while he was playing for his country.

He returned to play in January 2011. Robben was nominated for several awards that year, including the prestigious Ballon d'Or. He finished the season with 13 goals in 17 games.

2011–12 Season

In the Champions League semi-finals against Real Madrid, Robben scored a penalty to help Bayern win a penalty shootout and reach the final. In May 2012, he signed a new contract with Bayern until 2015.

However, in the 2012 Champions League final against Chelsea, Robben missed a penalty in extra time. Bayern lost the match in a penalty shootout. This was a tough moment for him. He finished the season with 19 goals in 36 games.

2012–13 Season

Robben preparing to take a free kick during the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final

In the 2012–13 season, Robben started as a substitute. But after a teammate got injured, he got his chance to start again. He scored the only goal in a DFB-Pokal quarter-final match.

In the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, Robben scored in both games. Bayern reached the final again. This time, Robben made up for his previous penalty miss. He set up the first goal and then scored the winning goal in the 89th minute against Borussia Dortmund. Bayern won their fifth Champions League title! He was named "Man of the Match" and has been called "Mr Wembley" ever since. He scored 13 goals in 31 games that season.

2013–14 Season

Robben started the 2013–14 season by scoring in the German Super Cup. He also scored in Bayern's first Bundesliga match. He continued to score important goals in the Champions League group stage.

In March 2014, Robben scored a hat-trick in a big 5–1 win. He signed a new contract with Bayern until 2017. In May, he scored Bayern's first goal in the 2014 DFB-Pokal Final, helping them win another DFB-Pokal. This made him the first player to score in three different DFB-Pokal finals. He finished the season with 21 goals in 45 games.

2014–15 Season

In the first Bundesliga match of the 2014–15 season, Robben scored one goal and assisted another. In November, he scored the winning goal from a penalty against Borussia Dortmund. On December 16, 2014, Robben scored his 100th goal for Bayern Munich.

He scored twice in a 6–0 win against SC Paderborn, meaning he had scored against every Bundesliga team he had faced. He ended the season as one of the top goal scorers in the Bundesliga with 17 goals, even though he missed the last two months due to injury. He finished the season with 19 goals in 30 games.

2015–16 Season

Robben started the 2015–16 season by scoring in the German Super Cup. His first Bundesliga goal came from a penalty in August. However, he got injured playing for the Netherlands and missed several games.

He returned in October and scored in a 4–0 win, which was Bayern's 1,000th Bundesliga victory. He finished the season with seven goals in 22 games.

2016–17 Season

Robben started the 2016–17 season recovering from another injury. He returned in September and scored in a 3–0 victory. He scored in both games against Arsenal in the Champions League, helping Bayern win 10–2 overall. He finished the season with 16 goals in 37 games.

2017–18 Season

Robben training in 2018

In January 2017, Robben signed a new contract with Bayern until the end of the 2017–18 season. He scored a rare goal with his right foot in September. In October, he played his 100th Champions League game.

He scored two goals in a DFB-Pokal match in February 2018. Unfortunately, he got injured in the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, which ended his season early. Robben won his seventh Bundesliga title, setting a Dutch record with 11 career league titles. He finished the season with seven goals in 34 games.

In May 2018, Robben signed another one-year contract with Bayern.

2018–19 Season

Robben started the 2018–19 season by winning the German Super Cup. In November, he scored two goals in a Champions League game against Benfica. In December, Robben announced that this would be his last year at Bayern. He felt it was the right time to move on after ten great years.

On May 18, 2019, he scored his last league goal for Bayern, helping them win their 28th Bundesliga title and his eighth. On May 25, 2019, Robben won his fifth DFB-Pokal as Bayern won the final 3–0. He finished his last season with six goals in 19 games. In total, he scored 99 goals in 201 Bundesliga matches.

On July 4, 2019, Robben announced he was retiring from football.

Return to Groningen

On June 27, 2020, Robben surprised everyone by announcing he would return to play for FC Groningen, his first club. He wanted to help the team after the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. He scored in a friendly game before the season started.

However, in his first league game back in September 2020, he got injured after only 28 minutes. After almost seven months, he returned as a substitute in April 2021. In May, he started a game and provided two assists in a 4–0 win.

On July 15, 2021, Robben announced his second and final retirement from professional football.

International Career

In April 2003, at age 19, Robben made his first appearance for the Netherlands national team in a friendly match against Portugal.

Euro 2004

Robben played in his first big international tournament at UEFA Euro 2004. During a group game against the Czech Republic, his coach took him off, and the Czechs ended up winning. This decision was criticized. In the quarter-finals, Robben scored the winning penalty in a shootout against Sweden, helping the Dutch finally win a shootout after many tries.

2006 World Cup

Robben played in the qualifiers for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He scored two goals in six games. In their first World Cup match against Serbia and Montenegro, Robben scored the winning goal and was named "Player of the Match." He won this award again in the game against Ivory Coast.

Euro 2008

Robben in 2009 prior to a match against Japan

At Euro 2008, the new Dutch coach changed the team's formation. Robben often came on as a substitute. In a game against France, he came on at half-time. He made a fantastic run and crossed the ball for a goal, and then scored one himself in a 4–1 victory.

2010 World Cup

Robben was chosen for the Dutch squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Just before the tournament, he got a hamstring injury, which worried everyone. But he still joined the team in South Africa. He came on as a substitute in a game against Cameroon and hit the post, leading to a goal from the rebound.

On June 28, 2010, Robben started his first match against Slovakia in the second round. He scored the first goal in a 2–1 win and was named "Man of the Match." He also scored a header in the semi-finals against Uruguay, helping the Netherlands reach the final. Robben played the whole final against Spain, which the Netherlands lost 1–0. He had a great chance to score but was stopped by the Spanish goalkeeper. Robben was nominated for the "Golden Ball" award for the tournament's best player.

Euro 2012

Robben played for the Netherlands at Euro 2012. He started in their first game, a loss to Denmark. In a game against Germany, he was substituted and showed his frustration. The Netherlands lost all three of their group games and were knocked out.

2014 World Cup

In the Netherlands' first game of the 2014 World Cup, Robben scored two goals in a huge 5–1 win over Spain. In their second game, a 3–2 win over Australia, Robben scored the first goal.

In the knockout match against Mexico, the Netherlands won with a penalty that Robben earned. He was sometimes accused of falling easily to win penalties. He even admitted to falling easily earlier in the match, but always said the important penalty he won was a real foul.

In the quarter-final, Robben scored a penalty in a shootout win against Costa Rica. On July 11, he was named on the shortlist for the "Golden Ball" award for the tournament's best player. In August 2015, Robben became the captain of the Netherlands team.

2018 World Cup Qualifiers

On October 10, 2017, Robben retired from international football. This was after the team did not qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He played 96 games for the Netherlands and scored 37 goals.

How Robben Played

Robben was known as one of the best wingers in the world. He was amazing at taking on defenders and getting past them. He usually played on the right side of the field. His special move was to cut inside onto his stronger left foot. This allowed him to move into a central position and shoot at goal.

Robben mostly used his left foot to score goals. He scored 134 league goals with his left foot, but only ten with his weaker right foot. He often switched to the left wing during a game, while his teammate, like Franck Ribéry at Bayern, would move to the right.

His teamwork with the right-sided defender, like Philipp Lahm at Bayern, was also very important. Robben's defensive work improved at Bayern. He would often run back to help his teammate when they pushed forward.

Robben was sometimes accused of diving (falling easily to try and win a foul). In December 2011, he apologized for a dive, saying he shouldn't do things like that. In July 2014, he admitted to diving in the first half of a World Cup match but insisted the penalty he won later was real. His former coach, José Mourinho, said that Robben's speed often made opponents foul him, but sometimes he would try to gain an advantage.

Earlier in his career, some people thought Robben was too selfish or got injured too often. However, he worked hard to become stronger and mentally tougher. As his career went on, he became a more consistent team player, known for both scoring goals and setting them up for others.

Personal Life

Robben with his wife Bernadien in 2014

Arjen Robben married his girlfriend, Bernadien Eillert, on June 9, 2007. They met in high school. They have two sons, Luka (born 2008) and Kai (born 2012), and a daughter, Lynn (born 2010). Robben's father, Hans, also worked as his agent.

Sponsorships

Robben had a sponsorship deal with the German sports company Adidas. He was also featured in the EA Sports' FIFA video game series before he retired. He was one of the highest-rated players in FIFA 15.

Career Statistics

Club

• 1.Includes KNVB Cup, FA Cup, Copa del Rey and DFB-Pokal.
• 2.Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
• 3.Includes Eredivisie playoff, English League Cup, FA Community Shield, Spanish Super Cup, German Super Cup, and UEFA Super Cup.

International

Robben with Dutch teammate Dirk Kuyt

Robben scored his first international goal in October 2003 during a Euro 2004 qualifier. He retired from international duty in 2017 after the team did not qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He played 96 games for the Netherlands and scored 37 goals.

Scores and results list Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Robben goal.

List of international goals scored by Arjen Robben

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	11 October 2003	Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands	Moldova	5–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
2	18 February 2004	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	United States	1–0	1–0	Friendly
3	17 November 2004	Mini Estadi, Barcelona, Spain	Andorra	2–0	3–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	4 June 2005	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Romania	1–0	2–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
5	17 August 2005	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Germany	1–0	2–2	Friendly
6				2–0
7	11 June 2006	Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany	Serbia and Montenegro	1–0	1–0	2006 FIFA World Cup
8	16 August 2006	Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Republic of Ireland	Republic of Ireland	2–0	4–0	Friendly
9	1 June 2008	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Wales	1–0	2–0	Friendly
10	13 June 2008	Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland	France	3–1	4–1	UEFA Euro 2008
11	10 June 2009	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Norway	2–0	2–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
12	5 June 2010	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Hungary	3–1	6–1	Friendly
13				6–1
14	28 June 2010	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa	Slovakia	1–0	2–1	2010 FIFA World Cup
15	6 July 2010	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa	Uruguay	3–1	3–2	2010 FIFA World Cup
16	29 February 2012	Wembley Stadium, London, England	England	1–0	3–2	Friendly
17				3–2
18	7 June 2013	Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia	Indonesia	3–0	3–0	Friendly
19	6 September 2013	A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia	Estonia	1–0	2–2	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
20	11 October 2013	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Hungary	8–1	8–1	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
21	15 October 2013	Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey	Turkey	1–0	2–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
22	16 November 2013	Cristal Arena, Genk, Belgium	Japan	2–0	2–2	Friendly
23	4 June 2014	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Wales	1–0	2–0	Friendly
24	13 June 2014	Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil	Spain	2–1	5–1	2014 FIFA World Cup
25				5–1
26	18 June 2014	Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre, Brazil	Australia	1–0	3–2	2014 FIFA World Cup
27	16 November 2014	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Latvia	2–0	6–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
28				5–0
29	16 November 2015	Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales	Wales	2–1	3–2	Friendly
30				3–2
31	13 November 2016	Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg	Luxembourg	1–0	3–1	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
32	4 June 2017	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Ivory Coast	2–0	5–0	Friendly
33	9 June 2017	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Luxembourg	1–0	5–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
34	3 September 2017	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Bulgaria	2–0	3–1	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
35	7 October 2017	Borisov Arena, Barysaw, Belarus	Belarus	2–1	3–1	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
36	10 October 2017	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Sweden	1–0	2–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
37				2–0

Honours and Awards

PSV

• Eredivisie: 2002–03
• Johan Cruyff Shield: 2003

Chelsea

• Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06
• FA Cup: 2006–07
• Football League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07
• FA Community Shield: 2005

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 2007–08
• Supercopa de España: 2008

Bayern Munich

• Bundesliga: 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
• DFB-Pokal: 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2018–19
• DFL-Supercup: 2012, 2018
• UEFA Champions League: 2012–13
• UEFA Super Cup: 2013

Netherlands

• FIFA World Cup runners up: 2010; third place: 2014

Individual Awards

• Johan Cruyff Trophy: 2002–03
• UEFA European Championship top assist provider: 2004
• Premier League Player of the Month: November 2004
• PFA Team of the Year: 2004–05 Premier League
• ESM Team of the Year: 2004–05, 2009–10, 2014–15
• Bravo Award: 2005
• Goal of the Month in Germany: January 2010, March 2010, April 2010, February 2013
• VDV Bundesliga Player of the Season: 2009–10
• The kicker Man of the Year: 2010
• Footballer of the Year in Germany: 2010
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2011, 2014
• UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2013–14
• FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball: 2014
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2014
• FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2014
• Dutch Sportsman of the year: 2014

See also

In Spanish: Arjen Robben para niños

• List of footballers with 100 or more UEFA Champions League appearances
• List of athletes who came out of retirement