This archive report was first published on 29 June 2020.
On October 10, 2017, the Netherlands failed to reach the 2018 World Cup finals, losing to Sweden in a crucial match. This defeat marked a turning point in the career of Arjen Robben, a Dutch football legend.
Fast forward to 2020, Robben shocked the football world by announcing his decision to come out of retirement and play for his hometown club FC Groningen. The 36-year-old's decision was inspired by The Last Dance documentary on the career of NBA legend Michael Jordan.
According to BBC Sport, FC Groningen used The Last Dance to convince Robben to re-sign with the club. They created a montage of clips from the documentary, interspersed with images from Robben's own successful career.
Robben, who won the Champions League and eight Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, as well as various honours with Chelsea, Real Madrid, and PSV, signed a one-year deal with FC Groningen. He made his senior debut for the club at the age of 16.
"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."
Robben's decision to come out of retirement is a testament to the enduring influence of Michael Jordan's career. Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, retired in 1993 after leading the Chicago Bulls to three consecutive NBA championship titles. He reversed his decision in 1995 and led the team to another consecutive titles between 1996 and 1998.
