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XtraTime Web Desk: Former Netherlands footballer Arjen Robben has decided to come out of retirement to play for his first club Groningen. The Dutch star made the announcement through his social media.

The 36-year-old winger took his first steps into football in the Dutch side's academy before moving to PSV Eindhoven and then embarking on a glittering international career with Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, winning 12 league titles. He also represented Netherlands in 96 matches including the 2010 World Cup final in Johannesburg.

It is learnt FC Groningen lured Robben to come out of retirement by citing the example of NBA legend Michael Jordan. Groningen played Robben clips from the Jordan documentary “Last Dance” along with images of his own glittering career to coax the 36-year-old back 12 months after he left Bayern Munich and announced his retirement.

“We first went to Munich to speak to him about coming to play for us, just days after he retired in May last year,” Groningen technical director Mark-Jan Fledderus told a news conference on Sunday after Robben signed a one-year contract with the club.

“That didn’t happen. But we kept up contact and then arranged secretly with his wife to travel down and talk to him again last month.”
Robben agreed to return to the club where he made his debut as a 16 year old in 2000.

“The difference in the standard between Bayern and Groningen is naturally a lot different but I’m here to help the club,” Robben said.
“You do that by showing the right attitude. I don’t have anything to lose and I’m going into the challenge with a positive attitude and to try and make the best of it. I haven’t set any goals, it could be over in a month or it could last two years.”

Jordan won three NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls before quitting to play baseball. He returned to Chicago and led them to three more NBA crowns.