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As the pandemic has started to turn around, football is slowly coming back to Britain. The first match day of the return saw Aston Villa face off against Sheffield United and Man City beat Arsenal behind closed doors. It was certainly a different atmosphere to the time thousands of fans flocked to see England play football against Germany in the FIFA world cup of 2002. This match was one of the highlights of Michael Owen’s career and showed how talented he truly was. It is an honour for Gowing Law’s firm to be working alongside Michael Owen to help people all over the UK get justice for any injuries they may have suffered from.

With that said, let’s talk about what really matters: Football. Although the Germany vs England match was only to qualify for the world cup, it clearly left its mark on football history. Let’s find out why.

Sport Context: Germany vs England

As you can see from the image above, England and Germany in football have always had an intense rivalry against each other. In every game, they had strong players and usually relied on penalties to reach the winner. However, with Germany’s winning streak against England, it was clear that the 2002 English team had a lot to prove. Due to this winning streak, the old manager (Kevin Keegan) was forced to resign, and now England had more to lose than ever. This is why the Germany vs England match was such an important event

The two rival football teams had already met earlier that year for a final match in Wembley Stadium. Germany won again, Dietmar Hamann scoring the only goal of the match to grant Germany the victory of 0-1. Having been defeated so recently by the giants of the German team, England was the underdog. Many people didn’t believe that they could even make it to the FIFA cup.

With surmounting pressure coming from English fans for a win, it was clear that England’s team needed a change in their training regime and tactics in order to overcome the strength of Germany’s football style and professional players during the England vs Germany match.

The next match against Germany

Due to this defeat from Germany, England went into the Christmas second-bottom within their group division.Sven-Goran Eriksson, the new manager for the English team, announced:

“The Germany game is, of course, an extremely tough test for the players but we are looking forward to the challenge… It may be a hard task but it is certainly not an impossible one. We will not be changing our style because we are strong and have confidence in our own ability.”

Whilst Eriksson remained realistic in his tone, Rudi Voller (the German manager) presented himself with an air of confidence, practically declaring that Germany would be expected to “go through directly.” However, this time the English team was bolstered by a number of strong players, including strong Manchester players like Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand, Andy Cole, Gary Neville and David Beckham. At this point in time, Michael Owen was playing for Liverpool, meaning that the local rivalry between him and the others players was still there, but put aside in order to focus on the bigger picture: beating Germany.

The team trained as hard as possible and it was clear from the start that Michael Owen was a talented asset to the team.

Michael Owen & The Match

Although Michael Owen was suffering from a hamstring injury at this point, his dedication and love of football pulled him back and motivated him to keep working. He put his rivalry with Manchester United aside to focus on pulling England back into the world cup. This was a defining point in his career because it showcased his natural talent and how he thrived under pressure, making the match an unforgettable event in football history.

What happened in the 2001 FIFA World Cup Qualification match?

In the first half, it looked as if it was going to be a normal football match, both teams trying to maintain possession of the ball. Germany scored 6 minutes after the match started thanks to Oliver Neuville going down a lofted pass into England’s penalty area. However, Germany’s lucky streak was about to end.

Michael Owen was then fouled outside of the German penalty spot and England was given a free kick. David Beckham, the English captain, took the kick and managed to get the ball out of the distance of both the attacking and defending players. Gary Neville headed the ball into the penalty area, moving it to Nick Barmby who managed to head it down to Owen. He managed to slam the ball past Oliver Kahn, the German goal keeper.

By the end of the first half, England was up 2-1, meaning that they were at a great advantage with the next half. This was a morale booster to both the team and the fans of England in the stadium.

Literally three minutes into the second half, Beckham manged to pass the ball to Emile Heskey who headed it to Owen. Owen then managed to score another goal, meaning that England had a 3-1 lead.

Michael Owen’s Triumph during the Germany vs England Match

It was the next goal that saw Owen claim the title of the first English player, since Geoff Hurst, to score a hat trick against Germany. Gerrard gave a successful tackle to take possession of the ball. He then passed it to Owen who sprinted to the goal and kicked the ball straight over Kahn’s head into the net. At this point, it was obvious that Germany was not going to win the match. Michael Owen had performed a successful hat trick and the second half was nowhere near ending.

By the time the match was done, England had beaten Germany 5-1. This was the biggest victory England had since the Luxembourg win in 1999. English fans were ecstatic and England was off to the world cup. Take a look at some of these highlights below to see how intense the game actually was. You can see Michael Owen in action:

English vs Germany Football match: A Game Changer

This game gave Michael Owen international renown in the world cup. Not only had he proven that he was a strong sportsman, but he was clearly a team player that knew how to work well with other greats in the industry. This allowed him to move forward with his career. He eventually played for a range of different teams, including Real Madrid, Newcastle United and Manchester United. However, he could never forget his roots playing for Liverpool.

Nowadays, Michael Owen is renowned for his skills on the playing field and his honesty about the game in general. Although he was injured during his time as a football legend, he always managed to overcome it. That is why you will now find him working for charities, speaking about his experiences. We are proud that such a national treasure is working alongside us.

Four Years of Charity Work

together in football foundation button

Without Michael Owen’s help, our own charity foundation, “Together in Football” wouldn’t be where it is today. This charity exists to encourage children from different backgrounds to come together. This will be in professional stadiums to enjoy a game of football. Michael is the face of this campaign. He has worked with us to encourage the younger generation to follow their dreams. Please click the link above if you would like to learn more information about our foundation.

Working with Gowing Law Solicitors

Michael has had an impact on the world of sport and charity. That is why Gowing Law Solicitors have been working alongside Michael Owen to advertise the skills of our experienced solicitors. No one should have to deal with an injury on their own. Michael had the support of his family, friends and team mates whilst he was recovering. We want to provide the same support to anyone in the UK who needs it. If you need help with your accident compensation claim, please feel free to contact Gowing Law Solicitors for more information. We work on a “no win-no fee” basis and can offer you free advice and consultations.

Call 0800 041 08350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or directly message us through our contact page.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Collaborating with Michael Owen and Communicorp

Gowing Law Solicitors is delighted to announce that we are partnering with Michael Owen and Communicorp. This is to spread our radio advertisements around the UK. That way we can help as many people as possible get justice. Check out our advertisements below:

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