World Soccer - UK (2020-10)

Just over a year after playing his final game for

Bayern Munich, Arjen Robben is back at boyhood club

Groningen. The 36-year-old ended his career in 2019,

but when he felt an urge to return, there was only one

team he wanted to join. Mark Gleeson spoke to

the Dutch winger about his comeback...

“I don’t think I

wouldhavemade

a comeback for

any other club”

ARJEN ROBBEN

How did you get to this
point where you are about
to play again?
When I retired just over a year
ago, I wrote in a small, open letter that the
decision was the most difficult of my whole
career. It was also a little forced, although at
the time I didn’t really go into that. But physical
problems were at the heart of the decision,
so it was kind of forced on me.
We then decided, OK, the career is over,
but we’ll stay another year in Munich to enjoy
the city and get used to the idea of no longer
being a footballer. I had a good time with the
family, doing things like skiing. But eventually,
the sports lover in me was searching for
something to keep busy. I had contact with
Erben Wennemars (former world record speed
skater), who came up with a whole load of
physical challenges for us to do together.
We were in full training to do the Rotterdam
Marathon, but unfortunately the coronavirus
threw that flame in the water and the marathon

was postponed. I was feeling good physically

because I’d been training hard.

I’ve always kept in contact with Groningen

from when I left at the age of18. I’ve seen the

ambition they have, their vision for the future.

It appealed to me. And so, during the crisis,

I started to think about things. We as a family

were heading back to Groningen, and what

could I do for the club? I didn’t have any

burning ambition to become a coach and

given I was feeling really good and physically

fit – the aches and pains had disappeared –

I realised where I’d be of best value was still on

the field. A week after the club management

came to see me in Munich in May, I decided to

give it a go. I started football specific training

almost immediately.

I have a really good feeling for the future

and for me the most important thing can be

described in a few words – “love of the club”.

I don’t think I would have made a comeback for

any other club. This was the only option for me,

and I hope I will get a lot of pleasure out of it.

Your return created a real buzz about

the club – Groningen sold1,600 extra

season tickets in the space of 30 minutes

after the announcement. What did you

make of that?

I was aware of some of the reaction. It was

double delight for us as a family, because the

excitement came just as we arrived after driving

up from Munich to begin our new lives, having

spent11 years in Germany and18 away from

Groningen. We got a great family welcome-

home party and then after checking my phone,

the reaction was very nice to see. The positive

reaction has given me a great feeling.

So, the coronavirus crisis played a major

role in this decision. Can you explain

this a little more?

Yes, it certainly played a part! You realise how

terrible and how tedious something like this

is, but then ironically there were one or two

positives. I don’t know if I’d have taken the

comeback decision if I hadn’t been cooped