Arjen Robben

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Robben first came to prominence with Groningen, for whom he was player of the year for the 2000–01 Eredivisie season. Two years later he signed for PSV, where he became the Netherlands' Young Player of the Year and won an Eredivisie title. In 2004, Chelsea signed Robben, where he won two consecutive Premier League titles and was named in the PFA Team of the Year for 2004–05. He joined Real Madrid in a transfer worth €35 million in 2007 and won the La Liga title in his first season. In August 2009, Robben transferred to Bayern Munich for a fee of around €25 million. In his debut season, he helped Bayern reach the Champions League final, finished as the club's top scorer in the 2009–10 Bundesliga title win (his first of eight Bundesliga titles), and opened the scoring in the DFB-Pokal final as Bayern completed the domestic double. He was named the 2010 German Footballer of the Year. After losing another Champions League final in 2012, Robben was decisive in Bayern's historic continental treble in 2012–13, earning Man of the Match in the 2013 Champions League final after assisting the opener and scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over rivals Borussia Dortmund. He scored his 100th goal for the club in December 2014.

In Their Own Story

The atmosphere at Wembley on May 25, 2013, was electric as Bayern Munich faced Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final. Trailing late in the match, the ball found Robben on the right flank. He drove forward, cut inside onto his powerful left foot, and unleashed a shot that beat the goalkeeper to make it 2–1. The goal sealed a historic treble for the club. Earlier in that same season, Robben had already showcased his clutch nature by opening the scoring in the DFB-Pokal final to complete a domestic double. His journey from arriving in August 2009 to lifting the Champions League trophy in 2013 defined a decade of excellence, culminating in his recognition as German Footballer of the Year for his efforts.

Reader's Guide

Robben debuted for the Netherlands in 2003. He started in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, which the Netherlands lost to Spain. He also appeared at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 UEFA European Championships, and the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. In the latter, he won the Bronze Ball and was named in the tournament's All-Star Team. In 2014, after a successful period with both Bayern and his country at the World Cup, Robben was named in the FIFPro World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year, and came in fourth place in the Ballon d'Or.

Did You Know?

• Robben was born in Bedum, in the northeastern Netherlands.
• He was named player of the year for his first season with Groningen.
• Robben scored the winning goal in the 2013 Champions League final in the 89th minute, not the 95th minute.