Former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin Van Persie has announced that he would call it a day on his football career after this season ends.
“When I have to stop? That is probably at the end of this season. I will be 36 years old and will have been a professional for 18 years. From the age of five, I’ve only been involved in football,” he said, as quoted by a Dutch publication named AD.
Currently plying his trade for his boyhood club Feyenoord, Van Persie said that his return to the club doesn’t depend on title wins to determine if successful or not.
“I also do not believe that my return to Feyenoord has only been successful if we win the title. How is it successful? This is actually it, if you look at the whole picture. I had lost the fun. That’s not how I wanted to end, without pleasure. The fun has returned at Feyenoord,” he said.
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The Dutch frontman, who won a total of 102 caps and scored 50 goals in them said that he wanted to use his experience in guiding the youngsters.
“I want to win as a football player and the cup win was nice, but that is not the measurement between whether it is successful or not. I wanted to give something back, share my experiences. I am trying to help my fellow players,” he added.
“I see it as broader than just winning a title or not. That is the goal, that is what the club also say, but whether or not we win a title is not decisive for me on whether my return is successful or not,” the forward opined.
The Dutchman had earlier had played eight seasons for Arsenal in the English Premier League where he won the FA Cup before he switched to Manchester United, then coached by the great Sir Alex Ferguson and won the league title with them in 2013.