Arjen Robben has retired from football for the second time after spending one season with Dutch club FC Groningen.
Robben, who made 96 appearances for Holland, thanked fans for the ‘heartwarming support’ after confirming his decision on Twitter.
The 37-year-old originally hung up his boots in July 2019, following a trophy-laden spell at Bayern Munich.
But the winger came out of retirement in June 2020 to join his boyhood club, Groningen – where played only a handful of games.
The legendary Netherlands winger wrote: “Dear football friends, I have decided to stop my active football career. A very difficult choice. I want to thank everyone for all the heart-warming support.”
Robben had stints in England, Holland, Spain and Germany – where he won several league titles. He was an integral part of the Dutch team that reached the final of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, losing 1-0 to Spain.
At Bayern Munich, Robben won the Champions League in 2013, scoring a last minute winner to defeat Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
However, the Dutch-man endured an injury-plagued spell at Stamford Bridge but was inspirational in Chelsea’s to back-to-back Premier League titles under Jose Mourinho.
In total, Robben scored 37 times in 96 games for the Oranje, while his club record for Groningen, PSV Eindhoven, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich stands at 209 goals and 193 assists in 614 matches.
