Revisiting the career of multi-millionaire entertainer Robbie Williams

Despite criticism in the run-up, Robbie Williams took to the soccer field and then the stage at the World Cup 2018. More of a brief affair than a drawn-out event, he belted out excerpts of some of his most popular songs, "Let Me Entertain You" and "Rock DJ," dueting "Angels" with Russian soprano Aida Garifullina. He did not treat the audience to a blurb from his 2016 hit "Party Like A Russian."

Robbie Williams has been in the music business for over 27 years. He loved performing even as a kid, winning his first talent show at the age of three. Williams played around during his youth, didn't work hard in school, and took small jobs. Then, in 1990, he joined the boy band Take That at the age of 16.

The United States had New Kids on the Block at the time. The boy band concept proved promising and Take That take the lead in Great Britain with Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Robbie Williams, Jason Orange (left to right). It worked in a big way. The five-year balance: 48 million records sold, 20 top-10 hits, 12 number-one hits, several platinum albums, and numerous awards.

That kind of success didn't go unnoticed by The Royal Family. So the golden boys got their chance to shake hands with the Prince of Wales. Take That enjoyed their biggest success in 1995 when the single "Back for Good" topped the charts in 47 countries - even in the US. But it all became a bit too much for Robbie, who left the band in 1995. Take That dissolves the following year.

There's no party without Robbie. He made no mystery of his alcohol and drug consumption. And, Robbie no longer wanted to heed the strict requirements of the music management, who even tried to control his private life. When he left the band, he sent thousands upon thousands of female fans into a frenzy. Special support hotlines were set up to prevent disappointed fans from doing something stupid.

After Robbie's departure from Take That, the tabloids focused only on the singer's partying. All the nitty-gritty details about club nights, the ensuing crashes, and his weight gain were reported. Robbie seemed to be at the end of his rope. But, that wasn't the case. Williams made a splash again in 1996 with his cover version of George Michael's "Freedom." This time around, he was thin and sober.

Then, Robbie met his future co-author, Guy Chambers. The album Life Thru a Lens (1997) was only a mediocre success in the beginning. The right singles hadn't been figured out yet — that is, until just before Christmas, when the single "Angels" was released. It marked the beginning of one of the most successful solo careers ever. Robbie was now ready to take off. And that's just what he did.

From then on, Robbie could do whatever he wanted. His concerts became ever bigger events. He opened every show with "Let Me Entertain You" — and it remains a party classic to this day. "Millennium," "No Regrets" and "Strong" scooped the market, going platinum several times and topping numerous charts. Robbie Williams was filling stadiums and could make 60,000 people jump with a mere hand gesture.

Sing When You're Winning was Robbie's third album to rock the market, with him crooning "Kids" with Kylie Minogue and making "Supreme" and "Rock DJ" mega hits. Then, Robbie decided to buck the music industry by recording a swing album in 2001 with classics by the "Rat Pack." His record label was floored.

Despite all the prophecies of doom, the swing album became a global success. Robbie, not yet 30, sang the songs of his old heroes Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin. Decked out in a tuxedo, he sang classics like "Mr. Bojangles" and "My Way" in front of a huge orchestra on the Royal Albert Hall stage. The DVD of this concert became one of the best-selling music DVDs ever.

Robbie made his last album with Guy Chambers in 2002. Label EMI took on Robbie for some €127 million ($140 million) — an unheard of contract sum. Robbie's last super hit "Feel" was on the Escapology album. Following the break with Chambers, Robbie tried out different styles with various producers.

Even if the records that followed didn't cause the mass craze his former ones had, his live act was still a huge success. When advance tickets went on sale in the fall of 2005 for his world tour, he sold 1.6 million within a day, landing a Guinness World Record.

In 2005, Take That dropped a bombshell: They reunited. At first, it was without Robbie. He didn't join up with them again until four years later, when the five embarked on their second career, garnering precious medal and awards once again. Then, in 2011, the group took a break, with Robbie and the others each concentrating on their solo careers again.

Of course, there have always been women in Robbie's life. But the right one ended up being Ayda Field, whom he married in 2010. During that time, he stopped using drugs, and became a caring father. Daughter Theodora was born in 2012, son Charlie two years later. But the happy family life threw him a curve ball: He was no longer able to come up with any good songs.

The crisis seemed to be over in 2016, when he released his new album, The Heavy Entertainment Show. Reunited with Guy Chambers and joined by illustrious guests, it was his 11th studio album and reflected much of his musical career. Now, despite his 2016 "Party Like a Russian" quip, critics are asking him to reflect over his multi-million-dollar gigs for affluent Russians, as well as the World Cup.