32 Greatest footballers in the history of the English Premier League - Part 5
28. Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben is a Dutch football player who is currently playing for the German club Bayern Munich. Even though he is considered to be a forward, he is actually a side player who plays right behind the strikers. His position is actually known as a “winger.”
Wingers are supposed to perform on the sides of the forwards and they usually cut in from the sidelines, to score goals for their team. The Dutch footballer, Arjen Robben is famous for his dribbling skills as he can go past many with the help of his stronger
left foot. Arjen Robben is also a part of the Dutch National team and has represented his country in the Euro 2004 and 2008 and also the FIFA World Cups 2006 and 2010.
Robben started his career in Groningen and in the club he became the player of the year in 2000-2001; in the Dutch League. Two years later, in 2003, he signed for the Dutch team PSV who are famous for making fabulous strikers like Ruud Van Nistelroy. Alongside
PSV, he became Netherland’s Young Player of the Year and won the Dutch League as well. The very next season, Robben was put on sale by the Dutch club as the English team Chelsea were interested in the left footed right winger. In the 2004 season, he was able
to join the English side as the negotiations became an agreement for the Dutch player.
However, the famous “glass man” proved why he was known as the glass man when his debut for the English side was delayed because of an injury. Even though he was injured, when he came back, he helped the team win two consecutive Premier League titles. His
efforts for Chelsea were well rewarded as he won the FA Premier League Player of the Month award in November 2005. His third season in the English Premier League was injury plagued and he had to move to the Spanish giants Real Madrid on a deal worth 35 million
Euros which was agreed to by both the teams.
After completing the move to Real Madrid, he signed a five year deal with them in August 2007. He made his debut in the Champions League match against Werder Bremen and the Flying Dutchman proved his worth by making fabulous efforts from his favourite right
wing position; however, he was later played as a left midfielder. He secured a first team position in Real Madrid but in the 2009-2010 season, players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka were introduced in the Spanish team and he had to leave the club for the
German team Bayern Munich. Later, the Dutch player admitted that he did not really want to leave Real Madrid but he was forced to leave.
After a deal worth 25 million Euros was accepted by Real Madrid, he was transferred to the German team Bayern Munich. He proved himself as an extraordinary player again as he scored two goals on his debut. His season with the German team was simply fabulous.
They managed to win the German League as it marked Robben’s 5thLeague in the 8 years that he has been playing. Moreover, Bayern Munich also managed to reach the final of the UEFA Champions League but faced a dominating Inter Milan side and lost
the match 2-0. However, it was Arjen Robben who managed to win the Footballer of the Year award in Germany.
While Robben was busy being a threat for his oppositions, he became a first choice player for the Dutch team as well. He was in the squad that helped the team reach the FIFA World Cup 2006. He secured the winning goal against Serbia and also the winning
goal against Ivory Coast. He was awarded the man of the match award for both the games and was named as one of the eight players who have managed to win the man of the match award twice in the tournament.
He was also a part of the Dutch team in the Euro 2008 campaign but Netherlands could not win the tournament and Robben was left battling it out for the first team squad as the new coach was playing a 4-2-3-1 formation with Kuyt, Sneijder and Van der Vaart
in the midfield.
However, his FIFA World Cup 2010 campaign was not that successful. The year 2010 was just not his year as he did not really help his team Bayern Munich or Netherlands. He could not win the FIFA World Cup 2010 and not even the UEFA Champions League. He reached
the final of both the tournaments and suffered a loss.
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