Nicklas Bendtner confirms his retirement from playing at the age of 33… but former Arsenal, Juventus and Wolfsburg forward insists he wants to become a COACH as ‘that way, I will always be a part of football’
- Nicklas Bendtner has confirmed his retirement from professional football
- The Danish forward is most remembered for his nine years spent at Arsenal
- He also played for the likes of Juventus, Wolfsburg and Nottingham Forest
- Yet the 33-year-old did reveal that he intends to stay in the game via coaching
Former Arsenal, Juventus and Wolfsburg forward Nicklas Bendtner has confirmed his retirement from playing at the age of 33.
The ex-Denmark international, who made 81 caps and scored 30 goals for his country over 12 years from 2006-2018, most recently played for Tarnby FF’s ‘M+32 Old Boys’ team’, and before that FC Copenhagen.
But his most memorable time came during his spell at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger from 2005-2014, where he scored 45 goals in 171 appearances.
Former Arsenal forward Nicklas Bendtner has confirmed his retirement at the age of 33
Bendtner made 81 caps for Denmark over 12 years and scored 30 goals for his country
‘I miss it every day, but I am also aware that there is an end date in this job. I think I’ll spend a lot of time understanding that it’s really over now,’ Bendtner told Bendtner & Philine on Discovery +.
‘Now I will find something else that gives me what football has given me in all the years.
Yet the 33-year-old then went on to reveal that he is taking his coaching badges in the hope that he can stay connected to the game he loves.
‘Football is a big part of my life and I can not leave it,’ the Dane added.
Bendtner finished his career in his homeland and played for FC Copenhagen in 2019
‘That is why I am in the process of taking the coaching education. I hope it will give me as much or maybe more than it did as a player.
‘That way, I will always be a part of football.’
Bendtner started his career at Kjobenhavns Boldklub in Copenhagen before he made the move to Arsenal at the age of 16.
He was contracted to the club for nine years, in a period which included loan spells at Birmingham City, Sunderland and Juventus, where he claimed a Serie A winners medal in 2013.
The Dane went on loan to Juventus in 2012-13, winning the Serie A title under Antonio Conte
Following his time in north London, Bendtner moved to Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga before a brief return to England with Nottingham Forest.
He then saw out the rest of his career back in Scandinavia, firstly with Norwegian side Rosenborg and then in Denmark with FC Copenhagen and then Tarnby briefly last year.
He also played for Denmark at the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championships.
At the latter tournament in Poland and Ukraine, he was fined upwards of £85,000 (€100,000) for revealing the Paddy Power logo on the waistband of his underwear after scoring against Portugal, in an instance of ambush marketing punished by UEFA – he was also banned for one 2014 World Cup qualifying match.
Bendtner was fined upwards of £85,000 for revealing the Paddy Power logo on his underwear at Euro 2012
