Owen, Golden Ball … made of crystal: “At 23 I was already in decline, injuries have ruined me”

Today the former English striker is a columnist, but he does not forget what he was and above all what could have been. Injuries cost dear to the 2001 Ballon d’Or, which at the beginning of the 2000s already saw his career in decline …

Sometimes talent is not enough, luck is needed. Michael Owen has been one of the most promising English footballers of the last twenty years, but also one of the most unfortunate. The former striker who grew up with the Reds shirt exploded at Anfield where he also wore the Ballon d’Or in 2001. Four years later, the Real Madrid of president Florentino Perez got his hands on the English star, who at the time however he was already in great difficulty due to the many injuries.

Today Owen looks back and feels a hint of bitterness about how things have gone in his career. The former striker told of his ordeal some time ago to Carl Markham’s microphones: “Until I was 20 I was one of the best players of my generation and it was like that for a long time. Injuries have ruined me. A 23 years I was already on the decline. When one of the tendons ruptured, nothing was the same. It happened to me when I was 19, two years before I won the Ballon d’Or. ” In 2004 Owen flew elsewhere, but it was already all uphill for him.

After seven seasons at Anfield, Owen became one of the Galacticos: “I’m happy to have played for Real Madrid, it was an opportunity to do something different. Going to Barça or Real was the Holy Grail at the time.” With the Blancos, however, Owen was unable to shine and soon dreamed of returning to the Premier League: “V.I wanted to go back to Liverpool and be happy forever. Eventually I signed with Manchester United, which was the best option at the time. I’m not ashamed of what I’ve done, even if someone wants me to feel like a traitor. I’ve never dreamed of playing for Stoke City, Manchester United and Newcastle, it was my career that brought me there. ” Years later Owen would probably say ‘no’ to Real and ‘yes’ to Liverpool for life. But with the “ifs” and “buts” certainly not the history of football is made. Even if he, in his own way, did it anyway.