THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Jul 4 – Dutch winger Arjen Robben announced he is ending his playing career at the age of 35 after a 10-year spell with German giants Bayern Munich.

“It is without a doubt the most difficult decision I have had to make in my career, my heart says yes, my body says no,” Robben told the Telegraaf.

His contract at Bayern had expired on June 30.

Robben played 96 international matches for the Netherlands, scoring 37 goals, and starred in the team which reached the 2010 World Cup final and finished third four years later.

He won two Premier League titles under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea in 2005 and 2006, before claiming a La Liga winner’s medal with Real Madrid.

But Robben, a Groningen youth product, will be best remembered for his time at Bayern. He helped the Bavarians to eight Bundesliga crowns, five German Cups and the 2013 Champions League title, scoring 144 goals in 309 appearances for the club.

There had been speculation Robben would continue playing, with a possible return to England mooted, but instead he has decided to hang up his boots after a career which was often blighted by injuries.

“At the moment I’m fit and healthy and as a fan of many other sports, I want to keep it that way in the future,” Robben added.

At Bayern, he combined with fellow winger Franck Ribery to great effect as the pair earned the nickname ‘Robbery’.

“Thank you, danke, merci, dankjewel @arjenrobben,” wrote the 36-year-old Ribery, whose Bayern contract also expired last month, on Twitter.

“Best @FCBayern counterpart I could imagine, #Robbery will never be forgotten! What a career my friend, now enjoy your time off the pitch.”

Robben had already retired from international football after the Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

He missed the majority of Bayern’s tight title contest against Borussia Dortmund in the second half of last term, but returned late in the season.

Robben and Ribery both scored in their farewell appearance as Bayern secured a seventh straight German league title on the final day of the season with a 5-1 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt.

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Jassy eager to exorcise Safari Rally ghosts

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Dutch great Robben hangs bootsrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 29 minutes ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Autographs, selfies, practice — Gauff gets used to Wimbledon stardomrn

rn rn Tennisrn rn rn rn 37 minutes ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Mourinho says Nadal could be ‘fantastic’ footballerrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 3 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Home team BTL Community lift Koroga Festival-Tatu City Trophyrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 4 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Man City sign Spain international Rodri for club record feern

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 4 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Sprints are like gunfight at OK Corral, says Gatlinrn

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn 4 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn rn Wanyama to treat Stars to dinner in Cairorn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn rn Olunga double earns Kenya AFCON hopern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn rn Stars AFCON last 16 hopes quashed by Beninrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Everton making Brazilians cry with joy at Coparn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Kipchoge's sub-2hr marathon set for Viennarn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn rn All in or nothing as Stars face Senegalrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Golfrn rn rn rn rn South Africau2019s Thimba wins Karen Mastersrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn rn Senegal dim Starsu2019 hopes of AFCON last 16rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn rn Le Roy presence inspired Migne in Starsu2019 winrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Dutch great Robben hangs boots

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Autographs, selfies, practice — Gauff gets used to Wimbledon stardom

rn rn rn Tennisrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Mourinho says Nadal could be ‘fantastic’ footballer

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Home team BTL Community lift Koroga Festival-Tatu City Trophy

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Man City sign Spain international Rodri for club record fee

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL EGYPT WIN 2019 AFCON AT HOME?

ntt
• YES
ntt
• NO
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sprints are like gunfight at OK Corral, says Gatlin

rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Senegal keeper Mendy out with hand injury

rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Lampard appointed Chelsea manager

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Uganda Cranes players train after cease fire with FUFA

rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Pulisic double as US beat Jamaica to reach Gold Cup final

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Jassy eager to exorcise Safari Rally ghostsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Dutch great Robben hangs bootsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Manvir out to shine at Safari Rallyrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Autographs, selfies, practice — Gauff gets used to Wimbledon stardomrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn ALEX ISABOKErn Pienaar, Osman tip Sharks to overcome Everton challengern rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn rn t rn t

rn tWanyama to treat Stars to dinner in Cairorn

rn AFCON 2019rn rn Friday, 28th Jun 2019rn rn rn t

rn tOlunga double earns Kenya AFCON hopern

rn AFCON 2019rn rn Friday, 28th Jun 2019rn rn rn t

rn tStars AFCON last 16 hopes quashed by Beninrn

rn AFCON 2019rn rn Tuesday, 2nd Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tEverton making Brazilians cry with joy at Coparn

rn Footballrn rn Monday, 1st Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tKipchoge's sub-2hr marathon set for Viennarn

rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 27th Jun 2019rn rn rn t

rn tAll in or nothing as Stars face Senegalrn

rn AFCON 2019rn rn Monday, 1st Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tSouth Africau2019s Thimba wins Karen Mastersrn

rn Golfrn rn Monday, 1st Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tSenegal dim Starsu2019 hopes of AFCON last 16rn

rn AFCON 2019rn rn Monday, 1st Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tLe Roy presence inspired Migne in Starsu2019 winrn

rn AFCON 2019rn rn Friday, 28th Jun 2019rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Jassy eager to exorcise Safari Rally ghostsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Dutch great Robben hangs bootsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Manvir out to shine at Safari Rallyrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Autographs, selfies, practice — Gauff gets used to Wimbledon stardomrn rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn ALEX ISABOKErn Pienaar, Osman tip Sharks to overcome Everton challengern rn rn Viewrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */