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Robin Van Persie has announced that he will be retiring from football at the end of the season. The first thing that comes to mind when someone reminds me of his name is the amazing goals he has scored for all clubs that he played for. Especially the amazing volleys, flying headers, and those left-footed curlers towards the far top corner of the goal.
He had always been a clinical goalscorer, but injuries played spoilsport before the season he was handed over the captain's armband after the departure of Fabregas to Barcelona. He is Netherlands' record goalscorer with 50 goals in 101 matches. At the club level, he scored 259 goals in 572 matches, a great return for a player who was not the central striker for much of his earlier days.
Even at the age of 36, he hasn't stopped scoring and already has six goals for Feyernood this season. Even since he arrived at Arsenal as a 21-year-old, Van Persie was always seen as a player with the magical touch and a dash of genius just like Dennis Bergkamp.
But come 2010 and everyone thought that Van Persie was a spent force, a force which was never strong enough owing to the number of injuries he went through. But 2011-2012, when he had the chance to play a complete season without getting injured, he showed the world what it was missing. Between January 2011 and May 2012, he scored 58 goals in 71 games and arguably was the best striker on the planet.
We take a look at three defining moments in Van Persie's career.
#1 First Premier League Golden Boot
In his first season as the Captain for the North London club, Van Persie finally came good and repaid the faith shown by Wenger in him for the previous seven years. He scored some exquisite goals and led the team from the front.
Some moments to remember from the season were the brace against Aston Villa where the Gunners came from behind to win, the hat-trick at the Bridge in the 5-2 demolition of Chelsea, equalizer in the 5-2 coming from back victory against the Spurs.
Van Persie finished the season with 30 goals and won the Golden Boot award, a first for Arsenal after Thierry Henry won it in 2006 season. The injuries disappeared and the goals flowed.
Van Persie took this form into next season also helping Sir Alex win his last Premier League trophy. It was Arsene Wenger's complete faith in the striker that made him a huge star, as any other manager would have given up and bought an experienced center forward, given the number of injuries faced by the Dutchman.
#2 Premier League title with Manchester United
This was the moment Arsenal supporters will never forgive Van Persie for. After lighting up hope at the Emirates that he will guide the club to newer heights, Van Persie left for Manchester United at the end of the stellar 2011-2012 season. Sir Alex played a masterstroke and needed Van Persie to reclaim the Premier League trophy from Manchester City.
Van Persie scored against Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, something a top striker is needed to do if the club has to win the Premier League trophy. Van Persie combined well with Wayne Rooney and scored some amazing goals, taking United to the podium in Sir Alex's last season at Old Trafford.
The fact that he also scored the goal of the season that year, shows the level at which Van Persie was operating. Against Aston Villa at Old Trafford Van Persie unleashed an unstoppable volley from outside the area. With his performance in the 2012-2013 season, Van Persie justified the little boy inside him who screamed ‘United!’ before his transfer to United.
#3 Flying header against Spain at the World Cup
The 2013-2014 season was not a good one for Van Persie. He was not the same player after Sir Alex's departure and the sacking of David Moyes in 8th months made it difficult for him to adjust to newer demands. The injuries too started reappearing and Van Persie needed a spark in his career.
That spark came in the 2014 World Cup. Netherlands were playing against Spain in what was the group of death and a team which had superstars who could have replicated their 2010 World Cup win.
Van Persie started the goal flow with the goal of the World Cup after flying off the ground to loop Daley Blind’s cross, over Iker Casillas and into the net. Van Persie scored one more and was instrumental in a historic win for the Dutch as they defeated Spain 5-1 and also finished 3rd at the World Cup, something the nation would have easily taken at the start of the World Cup.
