Robert Mühren

Robert Mühren
Mühren in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-05-18) 18 May 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Purmerend, Netherlands
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Volendam
Number 21
Youth career
1995–2001 RKAV Volendam
2002–2006 Ajax
2006–2009 Volendam
2009–2011 RKAV Volendam
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Volendam 102 (49)
2014–2017 AZ 47 (11)
2016 Jong AZ 3 (3)
2017–2021 Zulte Waregem 12 (2)
2017–2018 → Sparta Rotterdam (loan) 28 (7)
2018–2019 → NAC Breda (loan) 14 (0)
2019–2021 → Cambuur (loan) 66 (64)
2021– Volendam 88 (42)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:13, 21 November 2024 (UTC)

Robert Mühren (born 18 May 1989) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a forward for Eerste Divisie club Volendam.

Mühren made his first breakthrough as part of FC Volendam, where he was as a proven goalscorer. He moved to AZ in 2014, but mostly appeared as a substitute, and then signed with Belgian club Zulte Waregem in January 2017. There, he failed to make the team, and was sent on loans to Sparta, NAC Breda and Cambuur, emerging as top goalscorer of the Eerste Divisie with the latter. In 2021, he returned to Volendam, helping them promote to the Eredivisie in his first season back.

Mühren is the nephew of former Dutch internationals Gerrie Mühren and Arnold Mühren.[2]

Career

[edit]

Volendam

[edit]

Mühren was born in Purmerend. He made his professional debut for boyhood club FC Volendam on 5 August 2011, playing the full ninety minutes in an Eerste Divisie match against FC Dordrecht; the game ended 0–0.[3] His first goals for the club came in an Eerste Divisie match on 30 September, netting twice in the first half as Volendam defeated Fortuna Sittard 3–2.[4] On 10 February 2013, Mühren netted his first professional hat-trick, and fellow strike-partner Jack Tuyp also scored a hat-trick as Volendam defeated Telstar 6–2.[5]

On the opening day of the 2013–14 Eerste Divisie season on 3 August 2013, Mühren scored all of Volendam's goals in a 3–2 away victory over Almere City.[6] In a KNVB Cup match against Eredivisie heavyweights Ajax on 25 September 2013, Mühren netted a brace as Volendam fell to a 4–2 defeat in extra time.[7] The game came just six days after the death of Robert's uncle Gerrie Mühren, who started his career with Volendam before going on to be a part of the great Ajax teams of the 1970s that won three consecutive European Cups.[8]

On 10 February 2014, Mühren netted twice in the first half before completing his hat-trick in the second half, as Volendam defeated Jong FC Twente 4–2.[9] In the 32nd round of the Eerste Divisie tournament on 21 March, he scored in either half as Volendam defeated Jong PSV by a score of 3–1 at the Kras Stadion.[10] By scoring in Volendam's next fixture, a 2–1 defeat to Excelsior on 28 March, Mühren reached 24 league goals for the season and had completed a remarkable run of scoring in eight of his previous ten appearances.[2]

AZ

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On 28 August 2014, Mühren signed a three-year deal with AZ, leaving for a fee of €350,000.[11] He made his Eredivisie debut three days later in a 3–1 win against Dordrecht. He scored his first goal on 5 October in a 2–2 draw against Twente.[12]

With the Alkmaar-based club, he made ten appearances in the UEFA Europa League, scoring two goals.[13] He scored his first goal in the tournament on 27 August 2015, in the play-off round against Romanian club Astra Giurgiu.[14] He scored his second goal on 20 October 2016 against Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv.[15]

Mühren scored a number of important goals for AZ in the first half of the 2016–17 season and grew into a starter, but soon lost his place in the team due to the emergence of Wout Weghorst.[16][17]

Zulte Waregem

[edit]

After two-and-a-half years with AZ, some of which were spent with the reserve team, he moved to Belgian Jupiler Pro League side Zulte Waregem on 31 January 2017.[18][19]

Mühren scored two goals in 12 games for Zulte Waregem, but left on loan after serving out only six months of his four-and-a-half-year contract, after having disagreements with manager Francky Dury.[20]

Loans

[edit]

Mühren was sent on loan to Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 17 August 2017.[21] Three days later, on 20 August 2017, he was immediately successful for his new and temporary employer by scored the equaliser a home game against PEC Zwolle (1–1).[22] He became the club's top goalscorer that season with nine goals, but the side suffered relegation at the end of the season via playoffs.[23]

The following year he was sent on loan to NAC Breda.[24] This proved largely unsuccessful due to a long-term injury.[25]

In the 2019–20 season, Mühren was sent on loan to second-tier Eerste Divisie club Cambuur, where he developed into a particularly productive striker by scoring 26 goals before the season was abandoned due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.[26] Mühren extended his loan deal after the season, with the hopes of reaching promotion to the Eredivisie with this club.[27][28] After 24 games played in the 2020–21 season, he already had 25 goals with 6 assists to his name. He scored his 100th Eerste Divisie goal on 22 February 2021.[26] In May 2021, he won the Eerste Divisie title with Cambuur which meant promotion to the Eredivisie.[29] He finished his loan at Cambuur with 66 appearances in which he scored 64 goals.[30]

Return to Volendam

[edit]

Despite interest from Cambuur in signing him permanently following their promotion to the top tier, Mühren surprisingly returned to second-tier club Volendam on 29 May 2021, signing a three-year contract.[31][32] This marked a return to the club he played for six years earlier.[33] He helped Volendam reach promotion to the Eredivisie in his first season back, scoring 29 goals and providing 12 assists in 37 league appearances.[34][35] In May 2022, he secured his third consecutive title as the Eerste Divisie player of the season, as voted by the league.[36]

Personal life

[edit]

Mühren is the nephew of former Dutch internationals Gerrie Mühren and Arnold Mühren.[2] Arnold played for Ipswich Town in the 1981 UEFA Cup Final, beating Robert's former club, AZ.

Career statistics

[edit]
As of match played 1 March 2024[34]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Volendam 2011–12 Eerste Divisie 31 9 2 0 — — 33 9
2012–13 Eerste Divisie 33 9 1 0 — 4[a] 1 38 10
2013–14 Eerste Divisie 34 25 1 2 — — 35 27
2014–15 Eerste Divisie 4 6 0 0 — — 4 6
Total 102 43 4 2 — 4 1 110 52
AZ 2014–15 Eredivisie 17 4 2 1 — — 19 5
2015–16 Eredivisie 18 1 5 2 7[b] 1 — 30 4
2016–17 Eredivisie 12 6 3 3 3[b] 1 — 18 10
Total 47 11 10 6 10 2 — 67 19
Jong AZ 2016–17 Tweede Divisie 3 3 — — — 3 3
Zulte Waregem 2016–17 Belgian First Division A 12 2 1 0 — 0 0 13 2
Sparta Rotterdam (loan) 2017–18 Eredivisie 28 7 1 0 — 4[a] 2 33 9
NAC Breda (loan) 2018–19 Eredivisie 14 0 1 0 — — 15 1
Cambuur (loan) 2019–20 Eerste Divisie 29 26 0 0 — — 29 26
2020–21 Eerste Divisie 37 38 0 0 — 0 0 37 38
Total 66 64 0 0 — 0 0 66 64
Volendam 2021–22 Eerste Divisie 37 29 1 0 — — 38 29
2022–23 Eredivisie 28 5 1 1 — — 29 6
2023–24 Eredivisie 17 5 1 0 — — 18 5
Total 82 39 3 1 — — 85 40
Career total 354 169 20 9 10 2 8 3 392 183
  1. ^ a b Appearances in the Eredivisie relegation play-offs
  2. ^ a b Appearances in the Europa League

Honours

[edit]

Zulte Waregem

Cambuur

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "R. Mühren – Profiel". Voetbal International. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Muhren dynasty lives on". ESPNFC. 2 April 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  3. ^ "Dordrecht vs. Volendam 0-0". Soccerway. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  4. ^ "Volendam vs. Fortuna Sittard 3-2". Soccerway. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  5. ^ "Volendam vs. Telstar 6-2". Soccerway. 10 February 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  6. ^ "Almere City vs. Volendam 2-3". Soccerway. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  7. ^ "Moeizame zege Ajax op Volendam 4-2" (in Dutch). Voetbal Blog. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  8. ^ "Gerrie Mühren mourned in the Netherlands". UEFA. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  9. ^ "Jong Twente vs. Volendam 2-4". Soccerway. 10 February 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  10. ^ "Volendam vs. Yong PSV 3-1". Soccerway. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  11. ^ "AZ haalt Mühren naar Alkmaar". AZ. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  12. ^ "Eerste goal bevrijdend voor Mühren". NH Nieuws (in Dutch). 5 October 2014.
  13. ^ "Robert Mühren - Cambuur". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Mühren: "Ik werd helemaal gek"". NH Nieuws (in Dutch). 28 August 2015.
  15. ^ "AZ verliest verrassend in eigen huis van Maccabi". Sportnieuws (in Dutch). 20 October 2016.
  16. ^ "Basisspeler Mühren geniet van samenwerking met Weghorst bij AZ". NU (in Dutch). 7 November 2016.
  17. ^ "Mühren verlaat AZ voor Zulte Waregem". Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 31 January 2017.
  18. ^ "Mühren naar Zulte Waregem". www.az.nl. 31 January 2017. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020.
  19. ^ "Zulte Waregem haalt concurrent voor Mbaye Leye". Voetbalkrant.com (in Dutch). 31 January 2017.
  20. ^ "Mühren: Zulte Waregem is op voetbalgebied een oliebollenkraam". nos.nl (in Dutch). 10 September 2017.
  21. ^ "Sparta Rotterdam haalt Mühren terug naar Eredivisie". Voetbal International (in Dutch). 17 August 2017.
  22. ^ Arentsen, Dennis (20 August 2017). "PEC Zwolle houdt punt over aan matig optreden". De Stentor (in Dutch).
  23. ^ "Sparta degradeert uit Eredivisie, historische promotie FC Emmen". NU (in Dutch). 20 May 2018.
  24. ^ Tol, Nick (29 August 2018). "Robert Mühren sluit aan bij NAC Breda". Telegraaf (in Dutch).
  25. ^ Blanco, Yadran (15 October 2018). "Volgende tegenslag NAC: Mühren voorlopig niet inzetbaar". BN De Stem (in Dutch).
  26. ^ a b Dekker, Edward (22 February 2021). "Jubileumgoal Robert Mühren: 100!". NH Nieuws (in Dutch).
  27. ^ Vries, Sander de (30 June 2020). "Cambuur neemt topscorer Mühren definitief over van Zulte Waregem". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch).
  28. ^ "Update: Cambuur maakt Mühren-transfer officieel: "Enorm blij dat het is gelukt"". www.voetbalprimeur.nl (in Dutch). 3 July 2020.
  29. ^ "Mühren vertelt lachend over kampioensfeest Cambuur: 'Sommigen naar huis gebracht'". Voetbalprimeur (in Dutch). 15 May 2021.
  30. ^ "Robert Mühren » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  31. ^ a b "Cambuur baalt van vertrek Mühren: 'We hebben er echt alles aan gedaan'". Voetbal International (in Dutch). 29 May 2021. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  32. ^ "Stunt FC Volendam: Cambuur zonder topscorer Mühren naar de Eredivisie". Voetbal International (in Dutch). 29 May 2021.
  33. ^ "Robert Mühren laat gevoel spreken en keert terug bij FC Volendam". FC Volendam (in Dutch). 29 May 2021.
  34. ^ a b Robert Mühren at Soccerway. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  35. ^ Dekker, Edward (8 May 2022). "Topscorer Robert Mühren leidt FC Volendam naar de eredivisie: "Eerste goal de mooiste"". NH Nieuws (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  36. ^ a b Brandhorst, Stephan (12 May 2022). "FC Volendam-spits Robert Mühren verkozen tot beste speler van de eerste divisie". NH Nieuws (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  37. ^ a b "Robert Mühren - Career Honours". Soccerway.
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