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What is the story?
After spending a glittering time at the right side of the football pitch, Bayern Munich and Netherlands legend Arjen Robben has finally announced his retirement from professional football.
In case you didn't know...
Robben joined Bayern Munich from Real Madrid in 2009. During his ten-year spell at the German side, the Dutch winger made 309 appearances, winning eight Bundesliga titles, five DFB-Pokals and a Champions League.
The 35-year-old was released by Bayern Munich on 30th June and had been linked with several Dutch league clubs and MLS clubs. But the former Chelsea man has decided to part ways from Professional football.
The heart of the matter
Speaking to the press conference on Thursday, Robben confirmed his retirement news. He said:
"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 continued,
"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.
"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."
What is next?
As Robben has a sharp footballing mind and great leadership quality, he could prove his brilliance as a manager in the near future.
