Arjen Robben has confirmed his retirement from football, after running out his contract with Bayern Munich this summer.
In a press conference, the former Netherlands international stated, "I have been thinking a lot over the past few weeks. As everyone knows, I took the time to make an informed decision about my future after my last Bayern Munich match. And I decided to put an end to my career as a professional football player. "
He added, "It is without doubt the hardest decision I have had to make in my career. A decision where heart and mind collided. The love for the game and the conviction that you can still handle the whole world, as opposed to the reality that not everything runs the way you want and you are no longer the 16-year-old boy who had no idea what an injury meant."
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"At the moment I am fit and healthy and as a fan of many other sports I would like to keep it that way for the future. I will therefore stop definitively, but it is good that way," stated Robben.
Robben began his footballing journey in Groningen's youth system. He made his debut for the club, when 16-years-old. Then he shifted to PSV, from he went to Chelsea, and then Real Madrid. After a poor spell in Spain, he moved to Bayern, where he became a crucial cog in the Bavarian side's system. Robben also led his national team to the 2014 World Cup semis, and was also a crucial member in the Dutch's runners-up finish in 2010 South Africa.
