LONDON, March 19 — A career that was launched into orbit by a
stunning goal against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup will end meekly 15
years later after Michael Owen announced today he will hang up his
boots at the end of the season.
The former England striker, who made his first-team debut for
Liverpool as a 17-year-old and also played for Real Madrid, Newcastle
United and Manchester United, has almost disappeared from view at Stoke
City for whom he signed last September.
“I now feel it is the right time to bring the curtain down on my
career,” the injury-prone 33-year-old said on his personal website (http://www.michaelowen.com).
“I have been very fortunate in that my career has taken me on a
journey that like many young players starting out, I could only have
dreamt of.”
A natural striker with a devastating burst of pace, Owen went on to
make 89 international appearances, scoring 40 goals to sit fourth on the
all-time England goalscorers’ list.
Another famous England performance came in the 5-1 World Cup qualifying win in Germany in 2001 when he scored a hat-trick.
“It’s sad news for football that Michael Owen will retire. He’s been a
fantastic football player for all the clubs he played for and for
England,” Sven Goran Eriksson, his England coach from 2001-2006, told
Britain’s Sky Sports News TV.
“He was very easy to manage. First of all, he’s a fantastic man —
professional, never any problems on or off the pitch. If you had him in
your team you knew that at any time he’s a danger, he can score the
winning goal.
“Beating Germany 5-1, that couldn’t or shouldn’t happen. It was one
of those games you can never forget. I felt very proud to be the manager
of Michael Owen.”
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