Bayern Munich Legend Arjen Robben Cites ‘Physical Setbacks’ as the Reason for His Retirement From Football

Arjen Robben was one of the most feared wingers in his prime. Playing for top clubs like Real Madrid, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, the Dutch winger terrorized defenses with ease.

With his incredible pace and his impeccable footwork, Robben could either find the right man running towards the goal or could simply cut in and shoot with his lethal left feet. Be it his incredible performance in the 2010 world cup or his goal in the 2013 UCL Finals, Robben was one of the best wingers ever in his prime.

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Arjen Robben retires from football

Robben, who had earlier retired back in 2019, had made a comeback with a stint at boyhood club FC Groningen. While his return to the club was filled with emotions, his time at the club was marred with injuries.

It seems injuries have finally taken a toll on the ‘Flying Dutchman’ as the 37-year-old recently announced his second retirement from football. In an emotional statement, the veteran winger took to twitter and announced his departure from the game.

“I have decided to stop my active football career. A year ago I announced my comeback as a FC Groningen player. I embarked on this adventure with great energy and enthusiasm.”

He added, “I only had to deal with physical setbacks quite quickly, which prevented me from playing matches for a very long time. After a long road of trial and error I finally managed to play the last games of the season.”

Given his incredible play, the Dutch winger won multiple league and domestic titles along with a UEFA Champions League trophy. Robben did have an amazing career and his accolades speak for themselves, but injuries were the biggest Achilles heel for the spectacular winger.

Often suffering from niggling ankle or knee injuries, Robben’s prime was cut short due to his injuries. If not for his troubled injury history, the Flying Dutchman might have had many individual accolades as well. The Bayern legend certainly lives on in many fans’ memories and his incredible left foot crosses and strikes will be deeply missed.