Robben names Guardiola his best ever coach

Recently-retired Dutch legend Arjen Robben selected Pep Guardiola as the best manager he ever worked with in his illustrious career.

Source: Getty Images

Robben, 35, hung up his boots at the end of last season and was in Hamburg yesterday to receive a Special Award from the editor-in-chief at the Sport Bild awards ceremony.

While there, he had a ready answer when asked in an interview about who his best ever coach was.

"Of course that's difficult, I've seen many beautiful things with many coaches and we've been very successful," Robben said.

"But if you ask me who was the best, I say Pep Guardiola.

"I enjoyed it most with him. Football-wise, he is just awesome.

"When Pep came, I was already 30 years old. At that age, you are just trying to stay consistent and not get any worse.

"But under him I got better again. I suddenly played in different positions, where I never thought I would play.

"He was the best."

Robben also played under famous coaches Guus Hiddink at PSV Eindhoven, Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, and Louis van Gaal, Jupp Heynckes and Carlo Ancelotti at Bayern Munich.

Meanwhile, for the Dutch national team he worked with Dick Advocaat, Marco van Basten, Bert van Marwijk, van Gaal and Hiddink again, and Danny Blind.

He finished fourth in the 2014 Ballon d'Or standings while playing under Guardiola, behind winner Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Manuel Neuer.

Robben won the league in every country he played in during a glittering 19-year career.

He won the Eredivisie with PSV, the Premier League twice with Chelsea, La Liga at Real Madrid, and a staggering eight Bundesliga titles and the UEFA Champions League with his last club Bayern Munich, where he spent a full decade.

He also played the full 2010 FIFA World Cup final, which he lost with the Netherlands 1-0 against Spain.