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Real Madrid has it’s own Messi!

January 30th, 2009 | By: Jan | 24 Comments »

My friends, the lesson I learned is: never go on holiday in January because Robben could suddenly play the best football ever… I have read the comparisons to Messi and all, but I still want to write this article. So, indulge me ok?

He is the honorary chairman of the club and until now the best player who ever graced the Real Madrid jersey. Alfredo Di Stefano. He was European football of the year twice and played internationally for Argentina, Columbia and Spain. That feat won’t be repeated that easily. He won prize after prize with Real Madrid in the 1960s. He won the Spanish title 8 times and five times the European Cup with the Big Ears.

That same Di Stefano said this month that 24 year old Arjen Robben has the potential to become the best Real player ever…

That’s quite something.

And newspaper Marca went even further: Robben is Madrid’s Messi! Lionel Messi is the best player of the world today. And it says quite something that Robben is already compared with the mercury like Barca player. But it’s not strange, really. Robben is finally on his way to deliver on his promise.

The promise that started at FC Groningen, when he was only 16. At PSV, he soon became the man (at 19 years old) and moved on to bigger things at Mourinho’s Chelsea. When he was 20 years old, he already was one of the stars of Oranje and when Advocaat subbed him at the EC2004, the poor coach was almost publically lynched!

Robben would be the man to make the difference at Chelsea. The London based champs never played attacking or attractive under The Special One but that was all good since his strikers would make the difference anyway. Robben was already a phenomenon, who made the difference in Van Basten’s Oranje as well. But, an absolute world superstar Robben was not. He was not consistent enough.

He was described as the new Ronaldinho after the openings game against Serbia (1-0) at the WC2006 but he couldn’t follow through at that stage. That season at Chelsea, his physical vulnerability stopped him from establishing himself and at his new club Real Madrid he hardly played in his first season’s half. But the winger was definitely a potential giant for all insiders, hindered only by his physical condition.

Has that finally changed?

This season, the Bedum born player wasn’t fit all the time. He got injured in November in the run up to Juventus, but in the last month, it’s astonishing to see to what level he can reach when he is fit. He started 12 times this season and scored four goals and had four assists. Di Stefano compares Robben with himself, but he sells himself shorts with that comparison. Di Stefano was a so-called complete player, who ruled in every aspect of the game. Robben is more a specialist. The man of the individual play, the man who scores more goals than services to others. That is the last step towards Superstardom.

He will turn 25 end of January but he is still the man of all or nothing at all. He’s Messi when he’s fit but will quickly be worthless when his dribble doesn’t work. If he could look a bit more around him and realizes the difference between passing and dribbling he will more and more resemble Di Stefano. And who knows, it could even help him stay fit a tad longer…

Tags: Di Stefano, Group C, Messi, PSV, Raul, Real Madrid, Robben, Ruud, Sneijder

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Comments

By gregorio | January 30th, 2009 at 11:25 am

Robben has such a great talent, that the huge lacks in his decision making or teamwork don’t prevent him from winning games for RM by himself. I only wish he was more willing to learn in the areas he’s not yet so good, to see partners more often, maybe to work on his right foot. It’s incredible, how big he is being so limited at the asme time.

Posted from Poland

By finnster01 | January 30th, 2009 at 11:37 am

He still has a bit of an issue with his glass legs.

By Rob(ben :D) | January 30th, 2009 at 11:50 am

When fit, Robben has the potential to be even better than Messi! If he can stay fit for a whole season, I see him taking the Ballon d’Or and FIFA world player of the yeat and whatnot.

By Tomek | January 30th, 2009 at 1:34 pm

Robben is easily the best Dutch player out there, especially since his “glassness” seems to be gone now. Also one of the few that actually has the mentality to win something.

Posted from Netherlands

By Alex | January 30th, 2009 at 2:00 pm

I’d have to say V.Persie and Robben go head-to-head when it comes to pure footballskills. And i dare to say V.Persie has more and better tricks. But where V.Persie counts on his tricks and skills. Robben is a more fluent player(the only word i really find suitable). He has pace, agility and is much more a fast dribbler then V.Persie’s manouvres. But it may seem that I’m bashing Robben, but i agree that he is well on his way to become one of the best players of the world, if not the best. I feel Ronaldo has stopped in his development, Kaka as well. But it seems Robben has only just begun developing further since his 2004. Í think Messi could have more competition from Robben in the future then from Ronaldo, Zlatan, Kaka etc.

BTW. Breaking news ! (a bit late though)Heitinga played and scored last weekend for Atletico. Now here comes the scary part. After a period of bashing, criticism and mockery about his performances by Spanish press and fans. They were positivily surprised. He actually played a solid match and apparently was one of the better on the pitch. Unlike some might say, could this mean Heitinga does have character and a backbone. Might this mean he is on the way back?(… I’m especially not asking all impulsive commentors, I’d like to get some sensible replies instead of 1 minute thoughts)

Posted from Netherlands

By Alex | January 30th, 2009 at 2:41 pm

a brief update of some other defenders

Ryan Donk is making a better impression at WBA lately. He was forced into the starting line-up by injuries and is now apparently performing better then before. Of course he had a rough night against Man. United 5-0 but he wasn’t guilty for the score.

After his impressive start at WBA Zuiverloon had a real fallback but is slowly becoming more consistent again. He seems to be a bit tired. I expect his fall in level has to do with the higher intensity and higher amount of matches in PL. He did play in most of their games.
Conclusion. Donk and Zuiverloon are slowly settling and adjusting to PL. If they can manage staying in PL with either WBA or some other club(s). I can see them performing a lot more impressive and consistent next season. After having gotten used to the intensity, number of games etc. Bouma had the same in his first season of PL. He did reasonably, but ultimately couldn’t keep up but settled in comfortably now, was one of the fans favourites before this serious ankle injury.

Posted from Netherlands

By Totti | January 30th, 2009 at 4:43 pm

Totti is the world’s best. ITalia forever!

Posted from Canada

By Tomek | January 30th, 2009 at 5:19 pm

@Alex

Van Persie realy seems to lack the mentality, while Robben always goes all out when he plays for Oranje.

Posted from Netherlands

By Caleb | January 30th, 2009 at 5:26 pm

@Totti – you made a typo there, let me fix that for you. I believe it should go something like:

“Totti is the world’s best cheating, dirty-playing, all around asshole player. Italia is forever creating these types of players.”

There, that looks much better

Posted from Canada

By sonneveld | January 30th, 2009 at 6:00 pm

pretty big spelling mistake

I watch arsenal every week and van presie is their best player even with fabregas. He has won praise from arsene wenger recently.

I think he has done well for us. He set up robben’s vs serbia

scored vs ivory coast and almost scored a beuty vs portugal

He was partly injured but still scored twice for us in the euro despite only one start. And two goals vs swedan showed a lot of promise

By Carlos | January 30th, 2009 at 6:37 pm

Madrid’s in and out centre back Metzelder said last week that Ronaldo is NOT the best player in the world. He considers Robben and Messi to be way above Ronaldo.
I think the whole world recognizes those 2 as playing out of ther skins at the moment, however van Persie is week in week out the most valuable player at Arsenal and could be a serious target for Barca.
Alex, keep your defender columns coming – very informative.

Posted from Singapore

By Anthony | January 30th, 2009 at 9:14 pm

Comparing Robben with Messi… Hmm… what’s wrong with this picture?

By sonneveld | January 30th, 2009 at 10:23 pm

alex, zuiverloon was injured for a month not really a lack of form. Donk came back and they achieved a shoutout

By sonneveld | January 30th, 2009 at 10:23 pm

sorry cleansheat, I watch some hockey

By Carlos | January 30th, 2009 at 10:33 pm

Anthony – simple picture, If Robben stays fit and has a good game, then he’s Messi’s equal – Otherwise he’s nowhere near. Mess has been great for 3 seasons now. Robben for 3 games. Get the Picture ?

Posted from Singapore

By Van Basten | January 31st, 2009 at 2:38 am

Very passionate piece about Robben. Robben indeed has so much potential if only he could widen his “sphere of influence” and lead as a “General”, the way Zidane produced his football masterpiece during 2006 WC! Thats how every great player should play.
Robben is no Zidane, of course. Too bad, I have never seen Di Stefano!!!
Last week, Robben would dribble too much, and then lose the ball or attempt to score when he could have passed the ball. At times he passed the ball to his teammates(Van der Vaart) who was not expecting the ball(instead playing a spectator), thinking Robben would attempt to score instead.

By Mario | January 31st, 2009 at 2:49 am

The key for Robben: staying fit. If he manages to play 30 games out of 40 he will be the world´s best player. I have always considered him the best talent in the world but he has such a bad luck concerning injuries…hopefully he´ll beat his injuries and becomes the world´s best player, he has more speed than Messi but Messi gets injured 1 game out of 100…I mean, Robben needs rythm and he´ll be recognized as the best but you know the problem he´s had and I´m positive he will overcome that issue.

By Alex | January 31st, 2009 at 7:07 am

@ sonneveld, in the 5-0 against Man Utd. I can truly say Donk had the least to do with the goals. He did do what he had to do, no big mistakes like before and although it was a rough night for him, he wasn’t the one to blame, that’s all I’m saying and that’s what i’m hearing from some of my british sources . Carson looked terrible most times, and there were some lucky goals.
However, If i’m correct, his “return” wasn’t limited to that game, he played some more before that one. And believe me, Zuiverloon really fell back in form. Where he scored a 8 or 9 overall in the first series of games. He’s now around a 6 or even 5. However gradually he is doing better. But the freshness that he had has gone for the most part. Tiredness seems to eat away at his focus. And that’s not helping him at the moment.

Posted from Netherlands

By ferenc | January 31st, 2009 at 8:17 am

i agree that robben has more potential than c.ronaldo,but don’t think that he will be equal of messi. however he seems to be madrid Mario: leo got injured several times for 2-3 months. robben is not faster than him- just remember barca vs cheksea at stamford bridge february 06 when del horno was redcarded. messi is injury-prone as well:last year twicwe,the year before once (for 4months),and in 2005/06 once for 5 months. until now this is the first season when he has not get injured. i cross my fingers and hope he will play the whole season without any major injury.

By sonneveld | January 31st, 2009 at 8:28 am

Im going to watch Man city(De Jong) right now

By Jan | January 31st, 2009 at 7:01 pm

I think speed is relative. It’s quick thinking, fast feet and vision that do it. Dennis Rommedahl is fast, but hopeless.

By Miguel Rosado | February 2nd, 2009 at 1:13 am

Robben has the potential to write history. The fans in Madrid love him and it’s amazing how they chant his name. Having people comparing Robben to Messi is great because Messi is a world class player who will become a legend and this means Robben CAN be history as well. Robben knows what he’s capable of and has a huge mentality.

Robben and Van Persie are our best players with no doubt. I hope Van Persie leaves Arsenal because he needs a more competitive team to play for. Arsenal is a great club and I love the way they play but I think Wenger is too focused on theaching kids rather than winning titles.

By ferenc | February 2nd, 2009 at 7:25 am

arsenal is better team than real madrid. robin is great there. i don’t see any reason why he should leave.

Posted from Indonesia