Michael Owen reveals he didn't know what Ballon d'Or was when he won it and had to ask manager about it
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
MICHAEL OWEN has admitted he had no idea what the Ballon d'Or was - even after winning it.
The former Liverpool striker won the prestigious gong in 2001, beating Real Madrid icon Raul into second place.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
2
Michael Owen has claimed he had no idea what the Ballon d'Or was
Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
2
The former Liverpool striker won the annual gong in 2001
Credit: Getty
Owen played 297 times for the Reds over an eight-year stint, scoring 158 goals.
He later moved to Real Madrid and Manchester United, as well as earning 89 caps for England.
The 45-year-old's electric pace and lethal finishing made him one of the world's most feared strikers.
Owen bagged 24 goals in 46 Premier League games in 2001, catching the eye of the Ballon d'Or panel.
READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
FRANK DISCUSSION Tottenham AGREE deal to make Thomas Frank new manager after Ange axe
The award is handed out annually to Europe's best player.
But after beating greats including David Beckham, Luis Figo and Thierry Henry to the award, Owen had absolutely no clue what it was.
Owen told talkSPORT: "When Gerard Houllier phoned me and said 'You've won the Ballon d'Or', I'm like 'What's that gaffer'?
"I didn't know what the award was. I never did because I never even knew what it was.
BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
"Back in those days it was never in our press."
Owen was just the fourth English player to win the Ballon d'Or, following Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan.
People don't know this' - Michael Owen breaks silence on 'well done he's 13' meme 27 years on from humiliating teenager
But it wasn't until he became a Galactico with Madrid in 2004 that he truly understood its significance.
Owen continued: "When I played for Real Madrid, it's like an MBE, it follows you.
"Whenever they mention your name it's Ballon d'Or winner.
"Abroad it is so big and it's only just cottoned on here for the last five or ten years.
"It's so much bigger in other countries, in foreign countries.
"It quickly sunk in how big it was."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
16 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Jurgen Klopp slams Club World Cup as 'the worst idea EVER implemented in football' in brutal rant against the sport's decision makers as ex-Liverpool boss reveals his fear for next season
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has slammed the current Club World Cup as 'the worst idea ever in football' in a brutally honest swipe at FIFA. Klopp, 58, appeared to be wholly unimpressed with the path taken by the sport's decision-makers to introduce a newly-expanded 32-team format this summer. The tournament, which is currently being held in the United States, has come in for heavy criticism for adding to what many players and managers believe to be a saturated schedule. It has seen many of Europe's top clubs - including the likes of PSG, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Chelsea - have a truncated off-season due to their requirement to participate in the tournament. Klopp has become the latest high-profile figure to express his disdain for the tournament, pointing out that its positioning in the calendar could see numerous top players get injured. Speaking to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, he said: 'The Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football. 'People who have never had anything to do with day-to-day business are coming up with ideas. 'I fear that next season players will suffer injuries they've never had before. If not, then it'll happen at the World Cup or afterwards.' The German, who is now Red Bull's global chief of football, was an outspoken advocate on the importance of player welfare during his time as Liverpool manager. In August 2022, he compared the issue of player welfare to climate change ahead of that year's World Cup taking place mid-season in Qatar. He said at the time: 'If you go to the final at a World Cup and win it or lose or a third-place match you are already quite busy and then the rest starts a week later. 'If all the players then have a break it is not a problem, it is good. It is like a winter break which I had that in Germany as a player a lot, four weeks (off), stuff like that. 'When I start talking about it, I get really angry... It is like with the climate. We all know it has to change but nobody is saying what we have to do.' 'My problem is that as much as everybody knows it's not right, nobody talks often enough about it that it will be changed. Something has to change. 'This World Cup happens at the wrong moment for the wrong reasons.' Klopp also revealed why he opted to turn down the chance to manage the German national team at the end of the 2022-23 season. He had the chance to take the Germany job while still at Anfield, only to stay on Merseyside for one more year. However, his decision to subsequently leave the Reds came as a major surprise with Liverpool leading the Premier League title race at the time. Klopp also explained that he 'could have said yes' when presented with the chance to manage his home country. He admitted that 'it might have been better to do something else' after a disappointing 2022-23 campaign for Liverpool. That saw his side finish fifth in the Premier League and miss out on Champions League football Explaining why he chose not to move into international management, he said: I didn't want to. And the decision wasn't about the job of national coach per se. 'I couldn't leave Liverpool like that. There was a team there, there were people I had a relationship with. I wanted to put things right again with [players new to the squad] and the core team. That was important to me.'
Powys County Times
18 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Spain's Aitana Bonmati in hospital with viral meningitis days before Euro 2025
Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati is being treated in hospital for viral meningitis just days before the start of Euro 2025. The 27-year-old Barcelona player, who has won the Ballon d'Or for the past two years, was absent for her country's 3-1 friendly win over Japan on Friday. She posted a picture on Instagram of herself watching the match, which was played in the Spanish city of Leganes, from a hospital bed. Euro 2025 kicks off on Wednesday, with world champions Spain set to begin their campaign a day later against Portugal in Bern. National team head coach Montse Tome, whose side also face Belgium and Italy in Group B, told a press conference: 'Initially all the tests came back fine but the last one confirmed she has viral meningitis. 'The word is scary but the doctor tells me it's under control. She will remain hospitalised; we don't know the timeline of her recovery. 'She's an extremely important player for us and we will wait for her, no matter what, as long as we have to.' Bonmati was a key member of the Spain squad which won the 2023 World Cup – following victory over England in the final – and the 2024 Nations League.
Daily Mirror
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Tottenham transfer got ‘cancelled by angry club' after medical due to clause row
Tottenham were on the verge of signing Fulham striker Moussa Dembele in January 2016, but the deal was dramatically cancelled at the last minute despite the player wanting the move Tottenham were once close to signing Fulham's Moussa Dembele - only for the transfer to be scrapped at the eleventh hour after the forward had already completed his medical. In January 2016, Spurs were hot on the heels of rivals Arsenal and surprise Premier League contenders Leicester City in their pursuit of a first Premier League title. Spurs had Harry Kane in their ranks following his incredible breakthrough 18 months earlier. Yet club chairman Levy identified the need to strengthen the side's attacking options and provide support for Kane as they sought to compete in the second half of the season. Fulham 's promising striker, Dembele - not to be confused with Spurs' own dynamic midfielder at the time - was subsequently targeted as Spurs' main January target. Levy negotiated a bargain £6million deal with Fulham for the then-19-year-old, whose contract was due to run out that summer. Dembele even passed a Spurs medical two days before the January transfer deadline, with the move seemingly a done deal. However, the West Londoners were keen for their talented youngster to return to Craven Cottage until the end of the 2015/16 season due to their efforts to battle relegation and a transfer embargo that left them unable to sign any replacements in January. They hoped to agree a deal that would still see them receive a fee for Dembele despite him becoming a free agent at the end of the season. Spurs, however, were unimpressed by Fulham's demands and insisted he be allowed to join their squad immediately. The Guardian reported that the disagreement led to Fulham 'angrily' cancelling the deal with Tottenham. Negotiations were not revived, and the forward was said to be left bitterly disappointed. The Lilywhites didn't end up buying a player in January and finished third that season, while Leicester City remarkably clinched the league title with a ten-point margin. In the following summer, Spurs signed Moussa Sissoko and Vincent Janssen, while Dembele joined Scottish giants Celtic on a four-year contract. He had two successful seasons there, scoring 51 goals in 94 appearances and winning two Scottish Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups. In 2018, Dembele returned to his home country, signing for Lyon where he netted 70 goals in 172 appearances between 2018 and 2023. He then joined the influx of former big names moving to the Saudi Pro League in July 2023, signing for Al-Ettifaq as a free agent. Despite a disappointing season for the team, Dembele, having been one of Steven Gerrard's first signings, scored 14 goals in 26 appearances. Still just 28 years old, he registered seven goals and four assists in 21 games for Al-Ettifaq in 2024/25. The team finished seventh in the Saudi Pro League, with the ship steadying following Gerrard's departure after the side had been left just five points clear of the relegation zone.
