Arjen Robben

Arjen Robben (born January 23, 1984 in Bedum) is a Netherlands football (soccer) who currently plays as a Midfielder Winger for Real Madrid C.F.. He is also a part of the Netherlands national football team and has appeared in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro 2004 .

Robben was named FC Groningen's team player of the year during the Eredivisie 2001 in football (soccer) season and the Netherlands' Young Player of the Year during his time at PSV Eindhoven. He was also the FA Premier League Player of the Month List of 2004.2F05 winners during the month of November 2005 at Chelsea F.C]

Early football life

Born in the town of Bedum in the province of Groningen (province), the Netherlands, Robben took to football from an early age. He began playing with local clubs C.V.V.B and V.V. Bedum. Robben became an adherent of the Coerver Method, created and popularised by Dutch football coach Wiel Coerver. Robben's skill in ball control and technical footwork made him a valuable player, and he was quickly signed by local club F.C. Groningen.

Club career

F.C. Groningen

F.C. Groningen placed Robben in their C-class youth team for the 2000 in football (soccer) season. He scored 50 goals in their competitions. Manager Jan van Dijk (football) added the winger to the first team before Groningen's November 2000 away game against FC Twente, but he did not play until December 3, 2000 against RKC Waalwijk, as a substitute for the injured Leonardo dos Santos in the 79th minute. Over the winter, Robben managed to play himself into the starting lineup. In 18 starts for Groningen over the 2000-01 season, he scored 2 goals. Robben was named player of the year for his first season with the club, and with teammate Jordi Hoogstrate, he demonstrated the strength of the Groningen youth academy. Robben stayed with Groningen and improved steadily during the 2001-02 season, playing in 28 matches and scoring 6 goals.

After this good start, PSV could not keep up with rival Ajax Amsterdam and were forced into a fight for second place in the Eredivisie. Robben travelled to London and met with Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson. Ferguson's offer came in much too low for PSV's and/or Robben's liking; Eindhoven chairman Harry van Raaij told Manchester United the most that their Euro7 million offer would buy them was a shirt with Robben's autograph. Almost immediately, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich offered Euro 18 million (Pound sterling 12.1 million), and PSV accepted. The rest of his season with PSV was disappointing. He injured his hamstring twice and missed several games. By the end of the season, Robben scored five times in 23 Eredivisie matches. His early Chelsea career was punctuated by dazzling displays as one of few "out and out" wingers in the English game. His instant development of a quick and fluid front three with Ivory Coast centre-forward Didier Drogba and Irish winger Damien Duff was perhaps the most prevalent consequence of Robben's arrival. However, Robben was badly injured in a league game away to Blackburn Rovers F.C. and forced to sit out Chelsea's title run-in and progress to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

2005-2006

Back to fitness for 2005-06 in English football, Robben was an integral part of the Chelsea left wing. In 28 matches, Robben contributed 6 goals as Chelsea won a second consecutive Premier League championship, the first back-to-back titles for the west London club.

2006-2007

After the Fifa World Cup 2006, Robben returned to a new look Chelsea squad. With the arrivals of Andriy Shevchenko, Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole, Chelsea manager José Mourinho has largely shelved the 4-3-3 formation with two wingers that he has used over the past two seasons and instead begun using a 4-1-3-2 formation, with midfielders Frank Lampard and Michael Essien on the flanks instead of specialist wingers like Robben. This saw the Dutch winger have a struggling time to get a position in Chelsea starting lineup at the beginning of the season.

In November 2006, Mourinho started to give Robben more playing opportunities, either as a Striker Deep-lying forwards, playing off a lone Striker Centre forward, or as a winger, when reverting to the tried and tested 4-3-3. After the absence of Joe Cole due to knee injury, Robben was then recognised as an important player for Chelsea with his ability to bring the ball down the flanks at speed essential in a team not especially endowed with great dribblers. He was named man of the Match on December 23, 2006 against Wigan Athletic F.C., a match where he got two assists and the winning goal in. He was then sidelined for a few weeks after accumulating too many yellow cards.

In January 2007, Robben returned yet again against Wigan and with an assist and a goal to his credit Robben was again named Man of the Match. Robben was inflicted with yet another injury in a match against Liverpool F.C. dated January 20, 2007. Robben made his return in a 3-0 victory against Middlesbrough F.C] in February driving in a shot that took a deflection past Mark Schwarzer for an own goal by Abel Xavier. Robben also came on as a substitute against FC Porto making his presence felt immediately after sending in a cross that led to an Equaliser (sports) scored by Andriy Shevchenko. Robben came on in the 2nd half of the Carling Cup final and provided the cross for Didier Drogba to head in the winner and he also scored a crucial goal in the 2nd leg of the UEFA Champions League 2006-07 against Porto, which led to Chelsea winning the tie 3-2 on aggregate.

At the end of March 2007, Robben underwent a knee operation after sustaining a knee injury upon returning from international duty that was expected to rule him out for at least four weeks. However, it was recently announced by the club that Robben had been back to training, despite his not being fully fit and will not miss the rest of the season. Robben made his return in a UEFA Champions League 2006-07 Knockout Stage Semi-finals encounter against Liverpool. Robben played a brief role in the FA Cup final against Manchester United on May 19, which Chelsea won.
After the final, Robben cleared up speculation on his future at the club in an interview: "I've always said I want to stay. I will be here next season, that's for sure". Then, on August 4, Spain media reported that Real Madrid C.F. was close to signing Robben and/or his Chelsea teammate Michael Ballack. Madrid coach Bernd Schuster told Spanish radio, "Hopefully, we'll be able to announce the signing of one or two big players soon." Schuster is said to have demanded Ballack, while Madrid's president, Ramon Calderon, is known to favor Robben. Robben has said to reporters of spanish newspaper AS_(newspaper): "Sure, I'm happy about the interest of Real Madrid, but now I can't say more until both clubs reach an agreement because Chelsea doesn't allow me to speak. My father is working on it. I wish I could say something to Real Madrid fans, but I can't until my future is sorted out".

Real Madrid

Robben completed his move to Real Madrid C.F. on a five-year deal on 22 August 2007, with the transfer fee reported as Euro36,55 million, or Pound Sterling24.5 million. He became the fifth most expensive signing in Real Madrid's history, after Zinedine Zidane, Luís Figo, Ronaldo and David Beckham. He made his debut on September 18th, in the first Champions League game of the season against Werder Bremen.

International career

Robben has played in 27 games for the Netherlands, scoring 8 goals. The first international experience of Robben's career came in 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, as the Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. During Euro 2004 Dutch coach Dick Advocaat substituted Robben in the 66th minute with a 2-1 lead over the Czech Republic national football team. The Czech team then scored two goals and won 3-2, which led to criticism about Advocaat's decision. In the same tournament, it was Robben who scored the deciding penalty in the shootout between Holland and Sweden national football team, which ensured that at the fifth attempt, the Dutch finally won a penalty shootout.

Robben played in his first World Cup Qualifiers in 2006. In six games for the Netherlands, Robben scored two goals. The Netherlands qualified for the World Cup in 2006 and in Holland's opening match against Serbia national football team, Robben scored the winning goal in the 18th minute, and was named the 2006 FIFA World Cup: Man of the Match Awards. In the match against Côte d'Ivoire national football team, Robben received this award the second time, thus becoming one of the eight players in the tournament to have won the Man of the Match Award more than once.

Personal life

Arjen Robben is married to Bernadien Eillert as of June 9th 2007 when they were married in Groningen, whom he met at high school in Groningen, at the Kamerlingh Onnes. His father, Hans, acts as his agent.

Awards and honours

Trophies
PSV Eindhoven
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Chelsea F.C.

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Personal honours
- U-21 European Footballer of the Year (2005 in football (soccer))