)
Bendtner, who has admitted to having a gambling problem during his playing days, has opened up by the time he was approached by guys aiming to conspire to get him fixing Arsenal matches.
Former Arsenal striker Niklas Bendtner has revealed the darker side of his career, sharing a harrowing experience when he was approached with an offer to fix matches.
Bendtner, who hung up his boots in 2019 at the age of just 31, had a career that was as colorful off the pitch as it was on it.
Known for his unique personality, the former Denmark star played for the Gunners from 2005 to 2014, scoring several crucial goals during his tenure despite not being the most prolific striker.
Speaking candidly, Bendtner recounted an incident where he was offered a substantial amount of money to manipulate the outcome of a game.
"I was in the casino a lot and I got approached by a guy in there. You would get approached by people who would say, 'We'll give you 100k if you do this.' I lost my head when I got asked about it,” Bendtner told the Daily Mail.
"I said, 'F*** off'. It just takes everything away from sport. The fact that anyone would approach you with a proposition like that is just so respect-less, it's ridiculous."
Bendtner expressed his disdain for such propositions, emphasizing the ethical boundaries they crossed. "The worst thing now is that you get a lot of players coming out and betting on their own matches, it's just so wrong. You just leave it," he added.
The former striker also opened up about his struggles with gambling, a vice he turned to in search of the adrenaline rush he experienced on the football pitch.
)
17:56 - 22.10.2023
Shock as former Arsenal striker begins new job dressed as clown in Denmark
The ex-Arsenal striker retired in 2021 and has now taken up a bizarre job on a Danish TV show.
"I spent a lot of money on gambling. When you have that high from football, it's very hard to find it in other places. You go gambling to get that feeling and you don't get that unless you have a lot at stake. Blackjack, roulette… we played everything."
Reflecting on his gambling habits, Bendtner described how it permeated various aspects of his life.
"You could be at the house, you get out a golf ball and put a cup 20 meters away for £1,000 every time you get it in. You only play football twice a week so you seek out that kick more and it becomes like a rolling ball.
“Later on, I realized that it didn't matter if I won or lost, at the end it was just a kick. You have no winners in gambling at the end of the day so I stopped."
)
21:00 - 02.06.2024
Five reasons Luca Modric has signed a new deal at Real Madrid despite being 39
Toni Kroos recently announced his retirement from club football at 34, but Modric has decided to pen a new one-year-deal at the club at the age of 39. These are the five reasons why.
Bendtner, who managed to step away from gambling by the age of 24, highlighted his ability to recognize and retreat from destructive habits. "If I burn myself at something I'm quite good at retreating and saying 'no more'. At 24 I learned enough so it was easy to take a step back."
Addressing a popular rumor about his choice of shirt number at Arsenal, Bendtner clarified the misconception with humor. The story goes that he requested shirt No. 52 because he was earning £52,000 per week.
"Couldn't be further from the truth… I would have been wearing a higher number!" he said with a booming laugh. "Now players are getting paid about 400k a week… it's important they have good advice and good people around them."
Bendtner's revelations shed light on the pressures and temptations faced by professional athletes, underscoring the importance of ethical guidance and support systems in navigating their careers.
)
10:17 - 11.05.2024
5 reasons why Real Madrid dominated LALIGA EA SPORTS this season
Real Madrid were heads and shoulders ahead as they claimed a 36th LALIGA EA SPORTS title with games to spare.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)