Arjen Robben, the 'Man of Glass' and former top footballer excelling in marathons

Arjen Robben has retired from football, but everyone agrees that he had exceptional footballing skills. During his career, the winger became one of the best wingers in the world and did countless favours for both his clubs and the Dutch national team. Let's look back on the impressive career of the 'Man of Glass'.

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Robben started his professional career with FC Groningen, where he displayed his undeniable talent as a teenager. He improved every season and eventually played 52 times (12 goals) for the 'Pride of the North' according to Transfermarkt. A move to a bigger team soon beckoned for Groningen's 'Player of the Year' in the 2000/01 season.

It was PSV that signed Robben in the summer of 2002. At the Eindhoven side, he continued to take new steps in his career and became more efficient, but was also injured a few times. However, that did not stop big foreign clubs from courting him.

In 2004, Robben ventured abroad for the first, signing for Chelsea, which at the time could draw on the money of owner Roman Abramovich. Despite injuries, Robben had a good first season at Stamford Bridge and won his first Premier League title. He also proved his worth the following season by helping Chelsea to a second title win in a row.

Robben's London adventure came to an end in 2007, when Real Madrid snatched him away from Stamford Bridge for €35 million  (£30 million) according to Transfermarkt. In his first season at Madrid – in which Los Blancos won the title - he was regularly sidelined with injuries, but the following campaign he grew into a key player, scoring and providing goals.

However, Florentino Pérez's return as Real president in 2009 changed everything. Pérez wanted to rekindle his Galácticos policy of the past and bought big names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká and Karim Benzema, which meant there would be increasingly fewer opportunities for Robben at the Spanish capital.

Bayern Munich did not hesitate and brought Robben to Bavaria in the summer of 2009. Robben was given number 10, previously owned by compatriot Roy Makaay.

This marked the beginning of a great story between the two sides. Robben immediately scored twice in his first Bundesliga game against VfL Wolfsburg and had an excellent first campaign at the Allianz Arena, for which he was even rewarded with the 'Footballer of the Year' award.

However, Robben's time in Munich was also marked by repeated injuries, which kept him out of many matches and earned him the unenviable nickname 'Man of Glass'.

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Robben's spell in Munich was an absolute success, it wasn't all highlights. For instance, Bayern icon Franz Beckenbauer criticised the Dutchman on several occasions, and he also clashed with teammate Franck Ribéry, as per ESPN. And to make matters worse, he also missed a crucial penalty in the 2011/12 Champions League final.

The following year, Robben took revenge for this latest setback by being decisive in the 2012/13 Champions League final with an assist and the winning goal, instantly making up for all the negatives.

Robben boasts an impressive trophy cabinet at Bayern. Besides the Champions League, he also took eight German titles, among others, with Der Rekordmeister according to Transfermarkt. In 2019, however, Robben put an end to his career and bid an emotional farewell to the Bayern public.

Robben quit football for a year but returned to FC Groningen in July 2021, the club where it all started for him. However, due to injuries he only featured in seven matches there (Transfermarkt), after which he hung up his football boots for good in the summer of 2021.

Robben not only enjoyed an exceptional club career, but also excelled in the colours of the Dutch national team. He represented his country at several major tournaments and earned a total of 96 caps (37 goals), according to OnsOranje.

One of the biggest disappointments in his international career was undoubtedly the 2010 World Cup final, in which he had two chances to score the winning goal but could not get past Iker Casillas. Spain later scored the winning goal, causing Robben and his teammates to miss out on the first-ever Dutch world title.

Four years later, however, Robben took revenge by beating the Spaniards 5-1 at the 2014 World Cup. The winger scored two goals and played a big part in the Netherlands' third-place finish at the tournament. Three years later, in 2017, he retired from the Dutch national team.

After his career, Robben has found a new passion: running. The Sun reported that he completed the 2023 Rotterdam marathon in an impressive time of 2:58:33.

The effort left Robben exhausted. "I'm really broken, but I made it," he was quoted by the same newspaper. "For a sprinter like me, such a distance is very long. But I like sports and challenges."

It was a farewell that left a void with the Dutch, as Robben was a player who made fans' hearts beat faster with his dribbles and rushes and who gifted the Netherlands many great moments. For that reason alone, Robben deserves his place among the all-time greats in the history of Dutch football.

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