Michael Owen: Legend or villain?

Posted Thursday, December 15, 2011 by ESPN

Pride of Liverpool and England

Michael Owen: Legend or villain?
Owen's emergence came in the midst of a barren era for Liverpool. For a club long used to success, and lots of it, the youngster was one of the few sources of joy as Manchester United and Arsenal began to jostle for top-spot in the Premier League.

When he first announced his arrival in the top-flight stage with a coolly taken goal on his debut against Wimbledon in 1997, the fans knew they are witnessing the 'next big thing'. Owen then took the Premier League by storm in his first full season.

He was expected to be a back-up for Robbie Fowler and Karl Heinz Riedle, who was brought in to replace Stan Collymore. But he made it an almost impossible task for manager Roy Evans to not pick him ahead of Riedle with his sizzling performances and goals - 18 in total for that season.

With his popularity around the country on the rise, it seemed a matter of time before England came knocking on his door. Owen went on to beat Duncan Edwards' record of being the youngest player to play for England this century when he took the field in a 2-0 friendly loss to Chile at 18 years and 59 days of age. He also became the youngest English player to score, netting in a pre-World Cup friendly against Morocco.

But nothing can quite compare to what he did in the 1998 World Cup. Millions around the world were swept off their feet when Owen, in his oversized No.20 England shirt, scored one of the best World Cup goals against Argentina in the second-round.

He was the darling of England, Liverpool and world football - a fact that he realized when he returned home.

"We had been isolated in France so I didn't know how big I had become. It was only when I got back from Luton Airport to find hundreds of photographers outside my house in the early hours that it sunk in," he told The Independent.

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