After terrorising defences on the world's greatest football pitches, legendary winger Arjen Robben is now pursuing glory in a completely different sport. The retired Dutch international, famed for his spells with Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich, has officially turned professional in padel.
From Football Glory to the Padel Court
Arjen Robben's football resume is the stuff of dreams, boasting 12 league titles across four top European divisions, a Champions League victory, and 96 caps for the Netherlands. Having finally hung up his boots in 2021 after a brief comeback with FC Groningen, many wondered what the 41-year-old would do next. Instead of a predictable move into coaching or punditry, Robben has chosen a more unconventional path, embarking on a professional padel career.
His competitive journey began in earnest in late August, when he entered the FIP Bronze Westerbork tournament in the Netherlands. Teaming up with partner Werner Lootsma, Robben secured his first-ever professional victory and his initial world ranking points from the International Padel Federation. Their qualifier was a dramatic affair, saving six match points to defeat the duo of Ralph Boekema and fellow ex-footballer Mark Weldmate with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 scoreline.
A Humbling Defeat and Gracious Ambitions
The triumph, however, was short-lived. In the last-32 of the main draw, Robben and Lootsma faced a formidable challenge against world number 155 Sten Richters and world number 144 Thijs Roper. The pair suffered a heavy 6-1, 6-0 defeat, bringing their tournament run to an end. Despite the loss, the match drew a huge crowd, with hundreds of fans turning out to watch the football icon compete on the padel court.
Robben was gracious in defeat, maintaining a realistic perspective on his new venture. "I don't think I can take myself too seriously. I started with low expectations," he admitted. "But I tried to fight on the court, and score as many points as possible." His opponents paid him a significant compliment, stating, "He's the best former professional footballer we know who plays padel."
Building a Padel Legacy in the Netherlands
Robben's passion for padel isn't new. It was ignited during his time at Bayern Munich, where he revealed he used to play three times a week. He has spoken openly about his desire to elevate the sport's profile in his home country, citing the influence of Zlatan Ibrahimović in Sweden. Robben aims to become a similar catalyst for padel in the Netherlands.
This ambition was on display in 2023 when he reunited with former Netherlands strike partner Robin van Persie. The legendary duo swapped the football pitch for a padel court, competing in the Pro-Am of the World Padel Tour Amsterdam Open. In a fitting echo of their successful football careers, they won the 'Legends Game'. Van Persie described the experience as "incredible" and "an intense match in excellent company."
On the global stage, Robben's padel career is just beginning. He currently holds a world ranking of 1,980 with three ranking points. He is a long way from the summit, where Argentinian Agustine Tapia and Spaniard Arturo Coello sit as joint world number ones with 20,200 points each. Interestingly, the gap between Robben and the world number five, Franco Stupaczuk (8,835 points), is smaller than the gap between Stupaczuk and the world's top players.
Only time will tell how high the determined Dutchman can climb in the padel rankings, but if his football career is any indication, it would be unwise to bet against him.
