FAREWELL TO THE BOY WONDER



Last week’s announcement that 33 year old Michael Owen will retire from Football at the end of this Premier League season, left a deep sense of nostalgia in the hearts of many Football fans. After bursting on to the scene as a 17 year old with Liverpool back in 1997, Owen’s career went one step further when, 1 year later, he was the Joint Top Goalscorer of the 1997/98 FA Premier League season. But It was to be the World Cup in France that Summer which would really set him apart from his England peers. Having gained a considerable following in the Domestic competition for his finishing ability, many England fans were eager to see him represent his Country at the 1998 World Cup. After scoring a decisive goal in the 1-1 draw with Romania in the Group Stage, Owen cemented his place in the starting 11 for that tournament thereafter. But It was his goal against Argentina in the Knockout stages which really put this precocious Teenager on the map. Having run half the length of the field  and finishing it with a beautiful top corner shot, England it seemed were now favourites to win this bitter rivalry. 12 years earlier It was an Argentine who scored a wonder goal to put England out of the tournament, but at this tournament it appeared an 18 and a half year old would be the one to sink the mighty Argentines. After an Intense Shootout, Argentina walked away with the win, but nearly everyone went away from that match talking about this 18 year old kid from Liverpool.

Owen’s career was not to be just a flash in the pan however; his career went from strength to strength thereafter. Some of his most memorable achievements included the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 1998, 2 wonder goals in the 2001 FA Cup Final (which Liverpool won) and becoming the Ballon d’Or winner for 2001. Having left England in 2004 to pursue a (short lived) career with Real Madrid, Owen still managed to keep his spot in the England team even after coming back only a year later to join Newcastle United. His last International tournament with England was to be the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, a tournament where England were eliminated in the Quarter Finals on penalties by Portugal. After moving to Manchester United in 2009, many Football fans felt this would be Owen’s revival, the career boost he needed, however 3 years and only 31 Premier Leagues appearances later, the 32 year old was soon off to another club, this time to Stoke City. Having made only 6 Premier League appearances this year, most of the time plagued with injury, the last 6 years of Michael Owen’s career is a classic case of “What Might Have Been”. Although if we delve back further in time, we can certainly see what he was. In my eyes, he will always be the 18 year old kid who stole the hearts of Football fans around the World and the Kid who became only the Fourth Englishman to win the coveted Ballon d’Or Trophy. And when History looks back on him, he'll surely be remembered as being one of the Greatest finishers of his generation. Thanks for the memories Michael.

Written by Alex Stilianos.