Football
ESPN staff 7y

Nicklas Bendtner doesn't regret aiming to be among 'best strikers in the world'

Former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner says he is "haunted" by his own claim that he would become one of the world's greatest strikers, but has no regrets.

Bendtner, 28, made the comment to the Danish press in November 2009, saying he wanted to be "top scorer in the Premier League" and "top scorer at the World Cup" as well as being "among the best strikers in the world." He added: "Trust me, it will happen."

But the Denmark international has since seen his career nosedive. Loan spells at Sunderland and Juventus followed before he left the Gunners at the end of his contract.

He was signed by Wolfsburg in the summer of 2014 but the club cancelled his contract in March after he was excluded from training as he posed a "threat" to team spirit.

The striker spent six months in the footballing wilderness before being signed by Championship club Nottingham Forest earlier this month -- and he will come up against Arsenal in the EFL Cup at the City Ground on Tuesday evening.

"I pictured my career going in a different way, but it didn't," Bendtner told reporters. "So I'm going to make the best out of the rest of my career and do the best I can.

"There are many goals I have set myself over the years. Many things I have said and been killed for.

"I actually don't regret saying I want to be the best striker in the world, because that's what everyone wants. It's just that no one wants to say it. It has haunted me.

"I was very young and I might have said it too early, before I'd proved I was in that category -- or could get in that category.

"But I'm here now and I want to reboot, and get back to just playing.

"I am not saying I have never done anything wrong, because I have. But I know football makes me happy whatever level I play and I think I'll play football all my life.

"Six months out of the game can seem like a long time and, for me, it seemed like five years."

Even though things didn't work out for him at Arsenal, where he scored 24 goals in 108 Premier League appearances, he wishes them well.

He added: "I hope Arsenal win the Premier League. I always wanted to play at Highbury because when I was a young boy I liked the club. I knew they had the new stadium so there was a short window to try to play there and it happened.

"That was a dream come true."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits he was surprised to see Bendtner sign for Forest and says he has a point to prove coming up against his former club.

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