People always ask me - how come you like Arjen Robben so much? The only thing I could say them is how can I not. But it’s not just liking, it’s a pure and honest admiration.
Do you have a player whose way of playing make your heart skip a beat? Who leaves you speechless every time he gets the ball? Who has this amazing power to captivate you to the TV screen and easily make you laugh or cry or both at the same time? I do. And I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Arjen has always been an amazing player - passionate, brilliant, fully dedicated. But one of the things I admire the most about him is his transformation - watching him change over the years. Before he moved to Bayern, he’d been a selfish player. Brilliant, but selfish. But it has all changed. Sure thing, there are moments when he can pass the ball but he does not - but I guess it’s a privilege of being a genius. Watching him play for Bayern and Oranje, when he puts the team before himself, is thrilling. The joy he gets out of a simple act of playing and being a part of the teams he loves. It makes me really proud to see a man he’s become.
What is more, he struggled with cancer. And he beat it. Because he never gives up. And i think his amazing way back to the Dutch NT during the World Cup proved it as well. Without a doubt, I can say he taught me to always fight back.
Needless to say, he’s a complete player - gifted with dribbling technique, defying gravity every time he’s on the pitch. And of course - he’s an owner of THE shot. When he plays he does it wholeheartedly - every single time. He’s the one who’s brave enough to take responsibility for the team; to take risk where there is a need. He’s not a type of a player, who stands helplessly on the pitch waiting for the ball to go in by itself - he prefers to take action.
What hurst me the most is the fact how little attention he gets - always living in a shadow of players I don’t want to name. Also, people love to hate him.
The truth is - Arjen Robben deserves all the appreciation the world has to offer. When you see him play, words like beauty or grace gain a new meaning. At least for me.
He’s the one who will make you believe in magic. Just give him a chance.
