Former Chelsea star Arjen Robben turns professional in padel tennis: how he performs.

Arjen Robben switches to professional padel

According to The Sun: Former Chelsea star Arjen Robben has decided to redirect his football career and become a professional in padel.

The legendary Dutch footballer won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, and two League Cups with the 'Blues'.

In 2007, Real paid £24 million for him, and he spent ten years at Bayern.

Robben ended his career at the Dutch club Groningen in 2021 before moving into the world of padel.

Since he started playing padel, he had the opportunity to train on his own court, which was built in his garden.

Robben received a professional license for padel, which is popular in Europe and South America.

Recently, the 41-year-old player impressed experts by qualifying for his first major final over the weekend.

Together with his partner Werner Lootsma, they overcame six match points in the qualifiers to secure a spot at the CUPRA FIP Tour tournament in the Netherlands.

Although they lost 6-1, 6-0 against the Dutch stars Stan Richter and Ties Ropero, Robben drew public attention.

Robben said: 'Zlatan Ibrahimovic has made padel an important sport in Sweden, and I believe I can do the same in the Netherlands.'

'I played three times a week when I was in Germany.'

'I don’t think I can take myself too seriously. I started with low expectations.'

'But I tried to fight on the court and collect as many points as possible.'

The opponents Richter and Ropero remarked: 'Arjen is the best former professional footballer we know who plays padel.'

Robben, who was signed for £12 million from PSV in 2004, made 106 appearances for Chelsea and scored 19 goals.

Therefore, Arjen Robben's switch to padel is not just a new chapter in his career, but also a good example for those looking to explore new opportunities after the end of a professional career. His successes on the padel court could even inspire those who see themselves far from the world of sports.

This story also underscores the growing popularity of padel worldwide, which could lead to a new wave of interest in the sport, similar to other stars who have transitioned to padel.