A Historic Year
Michael Owen claimed the Ballon d'Or in 2001 when he was just 22 years old. That success followed an incredible season with Liverpool. The Reds managed to win a cup treble, taking home the League Cup, the UEFA Cup, and the FA Cup during that memorable campaign.
That same year, Owen scored a famous hat trick during England's 5-1 World Cup qualifying win against Germany in Munich. His performances earned him a strong reputation as the most lethal striker in the country.
Beating The Best
To secure the highest individual honor in football, Owen had to beat some massive names. The list of defeated players included Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Raul, Rivaldo, David Beckham, and Luis Figo.
Owen admitted in an interview with FourFourTwo that he does not think his achievement received much fanfare. He said that he does not get the sort of credit that other people would get for winning the Ballon d'Or.
Looking Back
Owen mentioned that the award has never been that important in England. In contrast, he noted that people in Spain treated him like a hero for winning it. He keeps a photo of the points system and the final standings saved on his phone, calling the list awe-inspiring.
Until this week, Owen stood as the last Englishman to win the prize, a fact that changed following Harry Kane's victory on Monday. Owen also remains the only Liverpool player to win the award while playing for the Merseyside club.
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