Robben was born in
Bedum, a satellite town of Groningen in the north-eastern Netherlands. He took
to football from an early age, becoming an adherent of the Coerver Method. Robben's
skill in ball control and technical footwork made him a valuable player, and he
was quickly signed by regional club FC Groningen. Here, he developed his
distinctive style of cutting inside from the right onto his left foot to score
some quite spectacular goals.
Groningen placed Robben
in their first team for the 1999–2000 season. He scored three goals in league
play. Manager Jan van Dijk added the winger to the first team before
Groningen's November 2000 away game against Twente, but he did not play until 3
December 2000 against Waalwijk, as a substitute for the injured Leonardo dos
Santos in the 79th minute. During the winter, Robben managed to play himself
into the starting lineup. In 18 starts for Groningen over the 2000–01 season,
he scored two goals. Robben was named player of the year for his first season
with the club, and with teammate Jordi Hoogstrate, he demonstrated the strength
of the Groningen youth academy. Robben stayed with Groningen and improved
steadily during the 2001–02 season, playing in 28 matches and scoring six
goals. Robben transferred to PSV for €3.9 million before the 2002–03 season.