Recovering Robben ready to ´give everything´ for Netherlands

Arjen Robben says he will give everything for Netherlands in their upcoming World Cup qualifiers, even if he is not yet 100 per cent fit.

Dick Advocaat’s side sit third in Group A and will look to close the three-point gap to leaders Sweden when they take on France and Bulgaria.

Key man Robben is in the squad after featuring in Bayern Munich’s first two Bundesliga games of the season, coming on as a substitute against Bayer Leverkusen and then playing 64 minutes from the start at Werder Bremen.

While the 33-year-old concedes he is not yet completely ready after an off-season calf injury, he is keen to help Netherlands in a vastly important double-header.

“I still need some matches. I cannot ask to move this game so I can play for 90 minutes. I’m going to give everything I have in me,” Robben said.

“The substitution [against Werder] did not come from me – it was a coach’s decision. But that was quite normal, considering the preparation I had.

“It was logical that I could not finish a match yet, but it was not that I was completely demolished. I could go further.”

Robben is determined Netherlands head to Paris with the right attitude for the clash with second-placed France, who are also three points ahead of them.

“I’m always very positive and we’ve got to be positive when we go there,” he said. “Some may say that France have a better team, but if you go there with that mindset, you might as well stay at home.

“We must have faith that we can achieve something – then we can.”