Hasn’t it been the dream of every young boy to become a world renowned football player? It’s a career path that takes skill, dedication, planning and leadership. Not everyone can succeed in this career, however Michael Owen did. Even Brazilian Football legend Pele claimed that “my favourite player is Michael Owen.” His confidence and natural ability on the pitch spoke for itself, that is why Gowing Law Solicitors is proud to be working with Michael Owen on a number of projects, including the “Together in Football Foundation” and advertisements to help people find the justice they need if they are faced with an injury.
With that said, it’s time to learn a little more about the man behind the ball and his golden years as not only a striker for Liverpool, but a sports icon for many other teams, including Newcastle United, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Stoke City. We are truly proud to be working with such a football legend that has given back so much to his community.
The Early Years
There is a reason why Michael Owen is known as a “boy wonder”, practically being the Harry Potter of his age. He was born on the 14th December 1979 to Terry and Janette Owen in North Wales. Football had always played a big part in the Owen’s lives. After all, his father was a professional Football player at, ironically, Everton, the rival of his son’s future club Liverpool. Seeing the talent of a sportsman in his son, Michael went to study at the Football Association’s School of Excellence at Lilleshall in Staffordshire when he was only 14 years old. By the time he was 17, he was already signed up as a full professional, playing for Liverpool and debuting for England’s football team.
He appeared in the public eye when he was 18 years old, the world’s focus eventually settling on him when he scored the “wonder goal” against Argentina in the World Cup. He became the BBC sports personality of the years and an international football legend.
The Football Triumphs of Michael Owen
Now, after his amazing debut, you would think that Michael had reached his peak. However, despite suffering from his injuries, he still led an extremely successful career. Take a look at the timeline below to get a glimpse of the high standard that Owen set for himself and the other players around him.
These are only a few of his triumphs in the UK. Michael has also played successful seasons with Newcastle United and Manchester United. Internationally, Michael Owen also proved that he had the skills to represent England against some of the best players in the world. One of his most famous triumphs is against Germany in the world cup qualifier.
Germany vs England: 2001
Let’s set the scene here. Michael had been trying to recover from a hamstring injury at the same time as continue his football career. He bounced back into action when he played with England in 2001 against Germany. Not only did he perform a hat-trick against Germany, scoring a goal in the process, but he also became the first England player to score three goals against Germany since Sir Geoff Hurst in 1966 during the World Cup final. No injury could keep Michael down, he was ready to become a football legend.
International Triumphs
Of course, Michael’s main international triumph came from his match with Germany, but he also became England’s captain when David Beckham was injured. This meant that he was the youngest captain in 40 years. With Michael’s help, England managed to get to the quarter finals of the World Cup. They defied the odds and showed England was not to be messed with on the football field.
Michael also went on to play for Real Madrid in 2008. The club paid around £8 million for this famous Liverpool striker and Michael was extremely proud of this achievement, stating:
“My Dad has been telling me about the great Real Madrid teams of the 1960s… Gento was the quickest No 11 he had ever seen. Today I’m so proud to be wearing his No 11 shirt.”
Although he did go on to score a number of goals for this amazing team, Owen struggled to settle into the team dynamic. By 2005, he had returned to the English Premiere League to play alongside his friend Alan Shearer at Newcastle United.
What was his best goal?
Honestly, there are a number of goals we could choose. After all, he is one of only nine players to have scored over 150 goals in the premier league! But to us here at Gowing Law, there is one goal that stood out in particular and that is the goal that brought him his notoriety in the first place. In 1998, Michael was only 19 years old and was playing in the World Cup against Argentina. Fighting against a number of older and more experienced players, Michael triumphed in a display of speed, dexterity and grit to score the second goal for England.
As you can see from the video above, it was a moment to go down in the history books. Some may even claim that it was one of the most glorious moments in Michael’s young career. After all, it showed how his natural skill elevated him above any other player and predicted his future triumphs when he played on the pitch.
What do you think was Michael Owen’s best goal? Let us know!
Overcoming Injuries
Now, one of the things that we do admire about Michael Owen is how open and honest he is about his career in football. He presents his moments of triumph with great dignity, but is also exceedingly honest about some of the difficulties that life on the pitch entails. Michael was injured a number of times on the pitch and opened up about these injuries in an interview with the BBC:
“I was petrified of running into a channel. I just knew I was going to tear a muscle. The worst thing about it is your instinct is to do what you have done all your life but you start thinking: ‘Oh no, don’t.'”
One thing we can learn from Michael is how to overcome the odds. Although he had these fears, he never let them interfere with his work. Although he did suffer from a hamstring injury, a striker’s nightmare, he proved that he was resilient enough to fight back. Despite his injuries, he managed to score a hat-trick against German in the historic 5-1 match in the 2001 World Cup qualifier.
No matter what sort of injuries a player may suffer, they endure it for the sake of their fans, livelihoods and their own personal devotion to the game. This is what we truly admire about Michael. He never gave up and even now he serves as an inspiration to those who are injured to keep following their dreams and ambitions. Working with Gowing Law Solicitors, we can spread this message to a wider audience to ensure they get the help that they need.
Charity Work
Not only has Michael Owen worked with Gowing Law Solicitors to support the “Together in Football Foundation”, helping children of all communities enjoy a game of football together, but he is famous for his kind heart and charity work. Not only did he take part in the Ascot Charity Race, but he is known for spreading the word about different charities on his Twitter, such as The Lewy Body Society. Make sure to check out his Twitter for more information on what he is doing in the present and the different causes he supports.
Gowing Law Solicitors & Michael Owen: Working together
Gowing Law has had the pleasure of working with Michael Owen for over four years. He is a kind man who is truly an inspiration to those who want to follow their dreams, just as he did all those years ago. Not only has he visited our office but he has become the face of our brand. We are proud that he has chosen to champion our firm.
If anyone knows the pain of what an injury can do when trying to progress a career, it is Michael Owen. That is why we urge you to contact us if you have had an injury that is not your fault. We can help you get the justice that you deserve. Not only can you find out more information about our different services on our website and law blog, but we can offer you free advice and work with you on a “no win, no fee basis”. Feel free to call our Manchester law firm at 0800 041 08350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or directly message us through our contact page.
Gowing Law is delighted to announce our radio collaboration with Michael Owen and Communicorp Radio Station
In order to help as many people as possible get the justice they need in the UK legal system, Gowing Law Solicitors has partnered up with Communicorp and Michael Owen to spread our message around the UK. Check out our radio advertisement below!
