08 February 2024 , 09:18
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Arsenal cult hero Nicklas Bendtner has opened up on a "legendary" clause in his FC Copenhagen contract which prevented him from drinking alcohol or even from skiing.
Bendtner, 36, rounded off his career in Copenhagen before retiring from football aged just 31. The Danish international striker spent the bulk of his career at Arsenal, and his 2019 move to Parken marked the first and only time he played club football in his home country.
The 81-cap international courted controversy at times during his career, garnering him a bit of a reputation as a footballing bad boy. However, he still scored plenty of important goals for club and country, and had the best season of his career with Norwegian side Rosenborg before moving to Copenhagen.
A return to his hometown wasn't without its strict measures, though. And Bendtner, who is the subject of an upcoming documentary, has shed some light on the ruled put in place.
In Bendtner's documentary, he shares the message from his agent around the Copenhagen contract. "You must accept that it must be stated in the contract that from now until the New Year you must not drink alcohol and you must not ski and things like that," it read, per The Star.
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“I don't think everyone has it in the contract," he said. "Damn legendary.” Bendtner's time back in Denmark was short-lived, though, with just nine appearances and one goal to show for it.
The upcoming documentary is called 'Nicklas Bendtner - The Portrait' and is set to premiere on Viaplay on February 12. The striker, who confirmed his retirement in 2021, has explained it won't sugar-coat what was a complicated career.
What are your fondest memories of Nicklas Bendtner's career? Have your say in the comments section
Danish striker Bendtner spent the bulk of his career at Arsenal (Getty Images)"Many sports documentaries are just a big glossy picture," Bendtner said, Then you hear about adultery on the side or an extra child, or I don't know what the hell, and it never comes up.
“But then you never get the opportunity to really understand that person. Then it might as well be fiction. I want to tell the true story. It must be as it was.”
Bendtner called time on his career with 500 senior appearances for club and country, scoring 143 goals. More than a third of his club games came in an Arsenal shirt, and his 45 goals for the Gunners included a Champions League hat-trick against Porto in 2010.
His 30 senior international goals included strikes at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. It included one hat-trick for Denmark, sealing a 3-2 victory over the United States in 2015.