Michael Owen's 5 Greatest Moments
With 262 goals in 569 career appearances to his name, Michael Owen has a pretty decent record. It was no real surprise to anyone that after a disappointing season of cameo appearances for mid-table Stoke City, he has decided to call time on his illustrious career.
Owen graced Champions Leagues, World Cups and the greatest stadiums on the planet for the better part of two decades. Unfortunately for him though, his peak playing days were eventually halted by a series of injuries, and whilst he was certainly a great player that achieved great things, it could be argued he never quite managed to fulfill the massive potential he showed during the early stages of his career.
It is a shame then, that after exploding onto the scene in 1997-98 with such a bang, he will in the end, be winding down his career with something of a whimper.
But with 150 Premier League goals, 40 goals for England, a Premier League title, a FA Cup, a Uefa Cup, three League Cups and a Ballon D'or to his name, it could have been a lot worse for the lad!
He's had some fantastic moments along the way; here are his top five...
5. Scoring for Real Madrid Against Barcelona
1 of 510th April 2005
Scene Setter
Michael Owen had a mixed start to his Real Madrid career. Whilst he had a decent goal scoring return, most of his appearances came from the bench and he struggled to make a genuine impact at the Bernabeu during his debut season at the club.
He had received large amounts of criticism from all quarters, and there were suggestions from fans and the Spanish media alike he did not belong in the Galactico's set up.
Barcelona were nine points clear at the top of La Liga with eight games to play, anything but a win for Madrid would almost guarantee their Catalan rivals the title at the end of the season, their first for six years.
For them to do this on home turf was unthinkable to the Real Madrid faithful.
What did Owen do?
He was gifted a rare start, and grasped his opportunity firmly with both hands. Playing upfront alongside Raul and Ronaldo in a wildly attacking Real Madrid starting line-up, he played a key role in tearing the Barcelona defence to shreds.
After goals from Zidane, Ronaldo and Raul had Real Madrid 3-1 in front, Owen collected an incisive pass from David Beckham, drove towards goal and finished directly past a young Victor Valdes. It put the game well and truly beyond Barcelona, keeping Real Madrid's title dream alive.
Impact of the goal
Unfortunately not a whole lot. Barcelona went on to win the title and Owen had left Real Madrid by the start of the next season.
It was still an extremely memorable goal though, and Owen's finest and most important in during his season in Spain, helping silence some of the critics that suggested he wasn't good enough to play for Real Madrid.
4. Debut Goal for Manchester United in the Derby
2 of 520 September 2009
Manchester United vs. Manchester City
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Manchester United, despite winning the League title for three consecutive seasons, had just lost two of their most important attacking players in Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, the latter of whom had unthinkably moved across town to local rivals Manchester City. The only striking replacement for either of them was free transfer Michael Owen, a forward whose best days were presumed to be behind him.
Manchester City were on the up as a club. Millions of pounds had been ploughed into their team over the previous 18 months or so, and they were rising up the league with the long-term ambition of knocking Manchester United off their perch.
It had been an exhilarating early season game. United had gone ahead three times only to be pegged back by Manchester City on each occasion. Michael Owen had come on in the 78th minute, replacing Dimitar Berbatov, but he was yet to score for Manchester United or make any real impact at Old Trafford.
What did Owen do?
With the game poised at 3-3, and the match heading into a sixth minute of injury time, the game was seemingly about to end in a draw.
Owen, however, had different ideas.
He latched onto a precise through ball from Ryan Giggs, took a touch and deftly lifted the ball over the sprawling Shay Given with the outside of his right boot. It was the last kick of the game, giving Manchester United a vital three points.
Impact of the goal
The goal helped Manchester United assert their dominance over Manchester City, keeping their neighbours in their place for a short while longer.
Manchester United did eventually surrender the title to Chelsea that season, and unfortunately for Owen, he never really managed to kick on from there at Old Trafford. He spent three seasons at the club, his impact dwindling greatly from one to the next.
It did, however, give Michael Owen a level of hero status at Old Trafford. Not an easy feat considering his previous relationship with Liverpool. It was his first and most significant moment at Old Trafford.
It is unfortunate that not too many followed after that.
3. That Goal Against Argentina
3 of 530 June 1998
Argentina vs. England
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Having won their first group game against Tunisia 2-0 with relative ease, England was 1-0 down and looking like they were about to succumb to defeat against Romania in their second match of France '98.
Then with 20 minutes to go, a fresh-faced Michael Owen was introduced for Teddy Sheringham and managed to level the game in the 79th minute.
England (being England of course) somehow conspired to go on and lose the game, but a star was born in young Owen, just 18 years of age at the time.
He went on to start the next game against Colombia, terrorising their defence with his pace and flair in a 2-0 win, helping England to qualify, and set up a second-round match against old rivals Argentina.
With the second round game poised at 1-1 after two early penalties, the game was on a knife's edge. After 15 minutes played, David Beckham looked up and played in Michael Owen who was lurking just beyond the halfway line.
What did Owen do?
He set the football world alight.
He collected the ball in his stride, a seemingly innocuous 40 yards from goal and never looked back. He exploded past one Argentine defender, then blazed past another, eating up half the pitch in what seemed like a split second, before finishing beautifully past Carlos Roa. Argentina's back line could not live with him.
He was simply unstoppable.
Impact of the goal
Disappointingly, very little came of this moment in the grand scheme of things for England. Whilst it seemingly set them on their way to defeating their old rivals Argentina, they were eventually defeated (inevitably) on penalties (Owen scored his).
It sent Owen himself rocketing into the realms superstardom. He had cemented himself as England's hottest footballing property, and with Alan Shearer retiring from international football two years afterwards, he became England's most important goalscorer for the better part of a decade afterwards.
The goal is still shown on every compilation show around and generally leads to every young up-and-coming England striker being rigorously compared to a "young Michael Owen".
2. FA Cup Winning Brace
4 of 512 May 2001
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With the League Cup already in the bag, Liverpool was up against Arsenal in the FA Cup final, attempting to get hold of a second piece of silverware in their hunt for a unique treble (with the UEFA Cup final to come four days later).
Liverpool had been massively under the cosh for most of the game and were lucky to avoid conceding a penalty and going down to 10 men (the officials missing Stephane Henchoz's blatant handball on the line in the first half).
After holding on for what seemed like an eternity, the team from Merseyside finally went 1-0 down in the 72nd minute after a Freddie Ljungberg goal.
With less than 10 minutes to go, Arsenal was in full control, heading relatively comfortably towards their second FA Cup under Arsene Wenger.
What did Owen do?
Owen was having a very quiet game by his standards, but great players only need one moment to make a difference.
He finally made his mark in the 83rd minute. Capitalizing on some poor Arsenal defending from a Gary McCalister free kick, he smashed home a low drive from eight yards, leveling the game at 1-1.
But with the game seemingly headed for extra time, he really made the ultimate mark, scoring one of his most iconic goals.
With extra time approaching, he received a ball over the top from Patrik Berger down the left channel, brought it down near the edge of the area, brushed off Dixon, stole past Tony Adams, then finished exquisitely low past David Seaman inside the far post.
It was a piece of individual brilliance, the kind that set him apart from so many others at the time.
Impact of the goals
This play, one of the greatest turnarounds in FA Cup final history, confirmed Michael Owen's position as the elite striker in Britain and Europe at the time. It was also the second part of a glorious treble for Liverpool, which went on to win the UEFA Cup four days later.
2001 also culminated in him winning the Ballon D'or, the first British player to do so since Kevin Keegan in 1979. These goals in the FA Cup final would have been the standout highlight of a wonderful year if it weren't for...
1. The Hat-Trick Against Germany
5 of 51 September 2001
Germany vs. England
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England had exited dismally from Euro 2000 at the group stage. Under Kevin Keegan, it had seriously struggled, losing to Germany in the final game at the old Wembley at the start of their new World Cup qualification campaign. It was a time where optimism in the England camp was at an all-time low.
Then came Sven-Goran Erikkson.
The Swede that brought the fire back into English football (albeit temporarily), Erikkson took his rejuvenated England side to Munich in desperate need of a win if England was going to qualify for the World Cup (at least giving them a chance of avoiding the playoffs).
Germany took an early lead through the positively terrifying man-mountain Carsten Jancker after just six minutes of play. It looked like the game was heading towards another famous victory for the Germans.
What did Owen do?
If you're reading this now, then I'm sure you know.
Owen pulled a goal back in the 12th minute, leading to an extremely open first half, both teams desperate to get one over their deadly rivals.
Steven Gerrard put England ahead with a stunning drive just before halftime. The game was finely balanced going into the second period, but after half time with Owen spearheading the attack, England ran riot.
As Germany pressed forward desperate to find an equaliser, England destroyed the club on the counter, with Owen twice breaking clear of Germany's defence to fire England 3-1, then 4-1 in front. Even Heskey scored for goodness sake.
It was that kind of a night.
Impact of the goals
England, which was six points behind Germany at the start of play, closed the gap and eventually finished above them, qualifying automatically for the 2002 World Cup. It seemed as though Erikkson had turned England into a team that could take on anyone.
Unfortunately though, England only managed a run to the quarterfinals at the World Cup, and after a solid, but ultimately, underwhelming reign of five years, the 5-1 win away at Germany ended up being the high point of Erikkson's England career.
Germany even ended up getting the last laugh (typically) by making it to the final that year.
For Owen however, it was his finest moment in an England shirt and probably as a footballer, every defence throughout the world feared him.
For a short time, at least, he could deservedly lay claim to being the best striker in world football.
Farewell Michael, and thanks for the memories.
