Michael Owen, who remains Liverpool’s only Ballon d’Or winner, knows what it’s like to burst onto the scene and then struggle with setbacks. The former striker has been a vocal supporter of Curtis Jones, especially as the midfielder deals with another injury spell.
Michael Owen, who remains Liverpool’s only Ballon d’Or winner, knows what it’s like to burst onto the scene and then struggle with setbacks. The former striker has been a vocal supporter of Curtis Jones, especially as the midfielder deals with another injury spell.
Owen’s own career spanned 17 years and included spells at Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City. He scored 222 goals in 482 club appearances and was capped 89 times by England.
Despite all his achievements, injuries were a constant issue for Owen. His first major setback came at just 19 when he tore his hamstring. That was just the beginning of a long list of fitness problems that followed him throughout his playing days.
It is little wonder that Owen has some empathy for Curtis Jones after the midfielder picked up another injury following his return from a three-month layoff with an ankle issue earlier this season.
Conor Bradley’s latest injury brings back memories for Michael Owen
It was another tough moment for Conor Bradley, this time in North London. The young full-back left the pitch on a stretcher and was later seen leaving the stadium on crutches.
The incident that followed drew even more attention. Gabriel Martinelli pushed Bradley off the field while he was down injured, and while Arne Slot defended it, many felt it crossed the line.
The real focus, though, is another spell on the sidelines for a player who has already missed a lot of time. It’s becoming an unfortunate trend for Bradley, who has struggled to stay fit.
“Obviously, [Bradley] being young and getting injured so many times. I know. I felt it myself,” Owen said on Premier League Productions after Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Arsenal.
“It’s the most frustrating thing in the world. I know people think you’re paid for this, you’re paid for that. When you’re 8 years old, when you’re 10 years old when you’re 12 years old… You don’t think of money.”
Owen continued: “You don’t think of anything else other than just playing against Arsenal or playing these big games.
“All the fame or anything else comes with it is fantastic but mainly what you want to do is kick a ball around with your mates.”
The former striker also added: “It’s so heartbreaking when that gets taken away from you.”
How injuries shaped Michael Owen’s career
Despite winning the Ballon d’Or before turning 23, there’s still a feeling that Michael Owen never quite hit the heights he was expected to reach.
It wasn’t just talk. That hamstring tear at 19 marked the beginning of a long fight with injuries that changed how he played. Over time, it forced him to adjust his game, and it became a real challenge to stay the same player fans first fell in love with.
BBC Sport highlighted how that injury changed everything for him. Speaking in 2018, Owen said: “Once I did it once I was gone really. I was quick, running in channels, beating people.”
“That’s who I was – compared to the last six or so years when I turned into the only thing I could be,” he added.
He continued: “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.’”
The stats still look good – over 200 career goals and an FA Cup final winner stand out on any resume. But when you consider where he started and what people expected, it’s hard not to feel there was more left untapped.
Category: General Sports
