Owen was unreal in his prime. Speed and a clinical finisher. Loved watching him. Well said Rio great respect shown.

Owen was unbelievable, he was literally unplayable when he was 17-20 years old. Fans who disrespect him have absolutely no idea what they're talking about.

@Micfri300

6 ай бұрын

I could say the same about Adriano and especially del piero who although was a legend did his cruciate at 19..

@cjns5253

6 ай бұрын

17-24 was brilliant he was even good at Real Madrid

Michael Owen when he was 18 was unstoppable. The best teenage striker we’ve ever had.

@Micfri300

6 ай бұрын

In England. In Italy if del piero didn't do his cruciate he would have been better than anyone.

@asnark7115

6 ай бұрын

For fuck's sake,@@Micfri300 . Go troll somewhere else.

@bhew7409

6 ай бұрын

Rooney at 18 was as good imo

@andrewwright4195

4 ай бұрын

​@@bhew7409no he wasn't Owen ripped up Argentina

Michael owen in liverpool. Multiple PL golden boots and a ballon d'or. Explosive agile striker. Injuries done him but he was a great player.

@londonlad5701

7 ай бұрын

Think he didn’t manage the injuries well enough… think about those explosive pacey players, like giggs with an imbalance between quads and hamstrings - difference is giggs managed it to prolong his career at the highest level… .

@bomberbee8236

7 ай бұрын

Houllier killed him bringing him back too early from injuries.

@1nfamous76

7 ай бұрын

​@@bomberbee8236desperation that's why. Liverpool relied on him too much and you can see why, but yes your right no question

@jaysparrow6631

7 ай бұрын

Owen in his prime was England’s best striker and he’s definitely in the conversation as one of the premier league’s best strikers!

@1nfamous76

6 ай бұрын

@@jaysparrow6631 no question

I rate both Robbie Fowler & Michael Owen some of the coldest finishers/goalscorers ever. Fowler needs a whole segment himself he was unreal. Owen's goal against Argentina is etched in my memory, you have to be a special player to have memorable moments like that. Rapid/explosive, sharp on the turn & a deadly cool finisher, he made it look so easy to score.

@philvenn576

7 ай бұрын

Fowler was a beast. So natural

@reeceh8048

7 ай бұрын

Fowler was a coke head!!!

@Strafuzz

7 ай бұрын

You can’t compare Owen’s finishing to Fowler’s. There are levels to finishing and Fowler was miles ahead.

@peterabnormal327

7 ай бұрын

@@StrafuzzOwen had pace tho

@SonnyK248

7 ай бұрын

@@reeceh8048 a coke head? 🤣

I’m a Newcastle fan and remember the hat trick he scored against us and I remember thinking what a player. He made our defence look silly. He was unstoppable in his prime 👍 I was a fan of him when he became a poacher as well, I thought he didn’t get the credit for the season he was at Madrid. He was a sub at Madrid but still scored 16 goals for them that season. He should of started at Madrid as Raul wasn’t at his best that season. Even when he was at Newcastle he had a great start and kept scoring but unfortunately got injured and wasn’t the same but I always rated Owen 👍

@asnark7115

6 ай бұрын

I remember thinking that the worst joke of all time in the sport was Raul starting ahead of Owen. No lies, I could have stopped Raul 1v1 99/100 times. Raul was never anything but a poacher and target player. Owen could beat a squad of elite pros between him and goal with the same chances that a Messi or Maradona had, maybe with better chances.

Spot on: it’s not just pace, it’s timing, touch and finishing!

He had the potential to be right up there with R9. He was a phenomenon. Not just frighteningly quick, his positioning was top notch, his finishing was unreal and even his heading was really good relative to his height. It’s a shame how his career turned out after Real. He wasn’t all that bad there either.

@Joop175

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the history lesson.

I started watching and supporting Liverpool in ‘97 as an 8 year old. Michael Owen was absolutely unreal for 5 years for us. The Heskey / Owen combination and that 2001 season remains my favourite time as Liverpool fan. Football was just so much more enjoyable then.

@ViVeriVniversvmVivusVici

6 ай бұрын

Respect. YNWA.

@jonjonesongasstationdickpi6179

6 ай бұрын

My start era aswel, Sami Hyypia, one of the prems most underrated CBs 😂

The way rio speaks stories is like what you would hear at the golden gates of heaven

Best English youngster of all time. He would worth 175M today POTY at 18/19 years old crazy. Shame the injuries robbed him

@rayman1861

7 ай бұрын

Better than Rooney?

@Suikojunkie

7 ай бұрын

Good point. I would put both at the same level.@@rayman1861

@C-vildeckztah

7 ай бұрын

@@rayman1861better than Rooney!!

@leesmith813

7 ай бұрын

1998 to 2005, Owen was magical. After his 2006 world cup injury, he was never the same, physically and mentally.

@err4071

6 ай бұрын

@@rayman1861 Owen scored goals against all the top international sides of his time and made world-class defenders look like mugs.

The 2 goals against arsenal in the 2001 fa cup final was one of the greatest moments I've experienced supporting Liverpool FC & I've supported them since 1977.....

@skrollerbarTV

6 ай бұрын

You're so right - I remember it was a beautiful saturday and I was watching it an Arsenal fans house (friend of a friend) and he was laughing at us as Liverpool were that bad in the final. Arsenal deserved to win it (and missed some chances to go 2 up) but Owen was a sub and came on and destroyed Arsenal single handed in like 10 min? When he equalised you just knew if we got the ball to him again - which we did it was over and guess what....

@DaneLutchmanen

Ай бұрын

I was a young Liverpool fan he was my hero until he left nd broke my heart i stayed a Liverpool supporter and watched my heroes career end with that injury!!!

Loving these videos, in my thirties and these players you talk about I grew up watching. Owen was incredible for a period and it’s good to hear legends like yourself letting some younger fans who may never have got to see them play how good they were. What Owen was doing for England and Liverpool as a teenager was amazing. Such a shame that big hamstring injury impacted his career so much, he was lighting quick before that injury.

@jamesphillips7885

6 ай бұрын

Knee aswell

Even at RealMadrid his goal ratio was great.. Injuries have wrecked his career sadly... Against Newcastle away, that was absolute prime Owen..

He gave me my greatest moment as a football fan when he scored against the Argies! I’ve never gone more mental than that goal ever… 98-2003 he was only 2nd to R9 as the best strike on Earth, and also over 15 yards not one player ever was quicker than him!

@thf3038

7 ай бұрын

Henry? Raul?

@user-fz7qs4uo9l

7 ай бұрын

​@thf3038 In 98 Owen was above Henry that's how mad he was, Henry went on to be the king but yh 98 Owen was the guy

@anfeariontach

7 ай бұрын

​​@@thf3038you weren't born

@thf3038

7 ай бұрын

@@user-fz7qs4uo9l was not second only to r 9 between 98 and 03 though. Guy never got 20 pl goals in a season

@thf3038

7 ай бұрын

@@anfeariontach Was born in 1990 so saw owen play throughout his prime.

Nice one Rio, it is enthusing to hear someone speak so highly of another, whoever they maybe, a true testament to someones ability, the fact it was Michael Owen, who people do forget, was an absolute phenom, is the cherry on the cake....he was off the scale and such a small fella..very brave....

“Star boy” this and star boy that This right here was the real OG star boy Absolutely unbelievable what he was doing at his age, scary to think what he’d have went on to do without the injuries That FA cup final against that great Arsenal team.. just wow

@lukebiggs9243

7 ай бұрын

Get him on here

Listening to Rio takes me back to prime Owen as we watched him ripping defenses apart. It was that raw pace and i think coz he was shorter. At the speed his legs were moving it seemed like he was even faster. Big Up's Rio... I hope there has been no controversy that you had to come out with this clip. 👏👏👏

38 yrs old now..saw Owen wonder goal in 98 against Argentina..Owen was special in his Era,thts why Madrid signed him..share yo sentiments Rio.

He was great. Quick. Natural. Confident. Churlish to say anything other. Players deserve respect for getting to that level and performing. Good stuff Rio

I remember the first time I saw him play in the flesh. Couldn't believe how accomplished a footballer he was....he never gave the ball away and was blessed with a goodfootballing brain, not just pace and finishing. World class for me.

@user-zd8no7jg5n

6 ай бұрын

You think a ballon dor winner is world class 😂😂😂 how brave

Growing up as a Liverpool fan i subscribed to the club magazine. It regularly mentioned the youth teams. Without fail it would it would feature some ridiculous scoring feats, like 11 goals in 5 FA youth cup games by some young striker. One week it was about Liverpool players who made England Schoolboys. England played Brazil and won 4-0. Young MIchael Owen scored all four.

He was outstanding. Never mind his lighting pace I always thought his strength was he was always the first to react to a situation. He was so sharp. Legend

@D1Snr

7 ай бұрын

Yes. His sharpness was his biggest asset.

Loved this piece, great insight and respect for a top top player. Brilliant Rio 👏

Nice perspective and summary of the great Michael Owen! 👍

So pleased you say he doesn’t get tbe respect. 💯correct. And mentioning his timing to make tbe run. And the fact he could score a dink, chip, volley, every kind of finish. He had it all. He was also great at dribbling with tbe ball. But no one ever mentioned that. His football brain about when to make tbe run and which run to make was phenomenal. So so pleased you’ve spoken so honestly about his ability. I think many don’t just because of shearer and his influence and wanting to stay on shearers right side. Which speaks volumes about shearer imo (lance armstrong type) Well done Rio

Beautifully said Rio ❤️

Owen, Shearer, and R9. Being a striker growing up, those were the ones I looked up to the most.

Him, Rooney and Cesc were the best teenagers I’ve seen in the Prem playing like big men game changers at tender years. One of the only man at that time who showed up consistently for England. Fergie said in his book he prolly played too many games early and could’ve done with a little more technical coaching to reach his full potential.

@gustavbrinkel5489

6 ай бұрын

I think he did reach his potential, he just did it very young and relatively briefly.

@darrenpearson8451

6 ай бұрын

Fowler was better than them all.

@Forestgravy90

6 ай бұрын

He had too many muscle injuries which apparently his other family members have suffered from, genetics and bad luck

@Collier990RHCP

6 ай бұрын

Fowler was a joke. So good

I could take or leave Rio as a pundit and doing videos over the years but I’m a fan after this one. Rare insight and he’s prepared to give it straight. Good stuff!

Love these old schools respect video's. Owen was top tier at his peak.

Great segment!

Im 46 years old and if anyone left an impact on me as a player its owen, he was lethal i watch players now and like ferdinand says he was levels above, the 3rd goal against newcastle with thee outside of his foot was insane

Michael Owen in his prime was like Mike Tyson in his prime. A wrecking machine. If you are in Champions League final and you can pick any Liverpool striker to be through on goal it would be Michael Owen every time, because he won’t miss,.

@asnark7115

6 ай бұрын

*Any striker, ever. The only scorers as reliable as he was against great defenses in big games were the Ronaldos, Messi, Romario, Zidane and Maradona.

@ShooterMcAwesome

6 ай бұрын

He scored against in Argentina, Brazil in the World Cup.

Not a single lie was told by Rio, Owen was the Mbappe of his era

@DanielDaleyD

7 ай бұрын

That’s a disrespect to Michael Owen. Mbappe still hasn’t gotten to the level of Owen.

@christianyombe8725

7 ай бұрын

Just a World Cup and more goals in the Champion's league and in the World Cup for Mbappe... Mbappe far better.

@cholachilufya7072

7 ай бұрын

Mbappe is better

@DanielDaleyD

7 ай бұрын

@@cholachilufya7072 at what? Running?

@michaelrowell7798

7 ай бұрын

Just appreciate both for what they are. World-class players. This endless issue of having to compare them is tiresome.

Owen made me fall in love with football and liverpool. Thats the OG right there.

Michael Owen was the first wonderkid i was aware of. I used to folllow Liverpool as a kid, and i remember i used get the official club magazine and when i checked the reserve or youth team results, all you would see is, Owen Goal. I remember watching him in that England school boy match too. He must have made Collymore and Fowler a little uneasy at the time. It was no surprise when he scored on his debut. I went on the Anfield tour before Owens debut, and i actually saw him and Tony Warner in the car park. I remember Owen looking supremely confident wearing some shades. It seeemed he was a certainty to make it.

great vid!

That hamstring injury changed the history of the Premier League and the England national side.

Owen one of the players because of who I played football so much and loved the game. R9 and him my fav forever.

They need a Michael Owen documentary film

Never been a huge fan of Rio but appreciate the respect he shows this guy. People forget too quickly the player michael was, his transfer fee nowadays would be an absolute joke.

@philipezra8671

7 ай бұрын

Wtf are you talking about? Where do you know him from? Fool

@dedetrader983

7 ай бұрын

I'm a United fan, and prime Michael Owen is the player who I hope get injured or suspended when liverpool play against Man United, not because I hate him, but because he's a player who makes me uncomfortable and nervous when he play again Man united

He peaked early but extremely highly. Just insane at his young age.

Prime Owen was unreal. I remember the goal against Argentina and thinking "we're (England) about to have the best player in the world." He was consistent for many years for club and country. But leaving the PL and of course injury, just derailed him. It was sad to watch him later in his career and he should have probs hung the boots up sooner than he did.

My best memory of MO was that once he was v-one with goalkeeper, you knew the ball will be in the net, he was probably one of the most dangerous strikers to come from England. What a generational talent he was, probably unluck not to play in the best teams or managers in his prime. Never been a liverpool fan, but I was a huge MO fan.

The best young player I have seen for the first 5-7 years of he's career unbelievable and sadly for some reason now underated, injuries done him in the end, watch his goals in those years, unreal and now Jude Bellingham comes along !!

What I liked about Owen was his movement. So intelligent in creating space to be in the best possible place to score a goal.

I'm probably the biggest fan of Nicolas Anelka. I was watching him in every club he played for and was happy for every team he scored a goal. My favorite striker of all time. He was insane.

Great player and loved watching him growing up even though i'm not a liverpool fan. Pity that injuries got the better of him and he was warming stokes bench by his early 30s but he also did a lot better at Real Madrid and Newcastle then people would have you believe.

Coolest slotter of the ball, amazing striker, instincts master

Rio has always been such an eloquent, soft-spoken pundit. To listen to him praise the virtues of a contemporary player who is iconic to his fiercest rival club - is such a refreshingly honest gesture of respect. It speaks volumes. A great many clubs would benefit from putting this man in the manager's chair.

Owen from 18/19 - 22 was unreal. Prior to injuries piling up that man was SILLY!

he was electric , what he done to roberto ayala in 98 was amazing

Love hearing these stories. Rio a great story teller.

He was unreal a goal machine

Thanks Rio ❤

Great video. He was brilliant and Im a United fan.

great vid rio… i’m a villa fan but always held michael in great regard, in his prime he was electric

absolutely world class player and in his prime without injury hanging over him. Devastating

my hero when i was a kid and the reason i support liverpool (apart from the kit being red 😂, even after the transfers still in my top 3 liverpool players

Well said Rio!!!🎉😍

Michael Owen was an amazing striker and won the ballon d'Or amazing. Great at analysing strikers. Overall, though, on everything else, he's as thick as two planks nailed together.

Man speaks truth. Owen deserves more respect. Especially winning the Ballon D’or

I was a kid but still remember him at United and being a great finisher

When he injured his foot and knee it was a shame because you knew he was going to lose a couple of yards of pace... I'm a United fan and hated Owen at Liverpool but respected him as the player he was... that 1998 Goal against Argentina was one of the best goals I have seen in an international game and i'm now 43

Owen was one of the best talents i have ever seen early days. His Liverpool career was unreal and i think his Madrid career is downplayed a bit. His starting opportunities were limited but when he came on he was quite good, if you compare his goals per mins compared to the other strikers at Madrid at the time it was pretty good. He was just unfortunate to suffer from those injuries. He will hold a special place in my heart for the goal he scored in the Manchester Derby.

@thf3038

7 ай бұрын

Also got 31 goals in 70 games for newcastle which isn't bad at all as a strike rate.

@brandonking2679

6 ай бұрын

He had the best strike rate per minutes that season at Madrid.Julio Baptista was bought and he decided to leave after one season. Owen one on one with a keeper was one of the most composed and clinical strikers I’ve ever seen in 25 years.

Owen and Fowle! What a pair of top finishers and we had em both . YNWA

Spot on Rio owen was brilliant in hes day

One of the best teenaged players in football history And one of most clutch player I've ever seen ...that Manchester Derby winner prime example of that. He wasnt perfect forward a streaky player but at his best especially playing along Emlie Heskey they were a great partnership

"Nicholas Anelka was like a madness!" Haha. I absolutely LOVE Rio. This is terrific.

rio u are a living legend..

Magical player. For me the best I've ever seen as a complete striker

Respect 🙏 ..

Truly truly world class. Genuine world class

Previous generations of strikers were built different. The defenders they were up against were brutal!

A lot of people don’t know how good he was...maybe because we’d loads of very good strikers in his era. He was a prodigy

Its awesome hearing ex players speak. I feel like while they're playing its hard for them to give others their flowers but when retired you get to really hear their thoughts on matters

Respect Rio 👊

Owen was a phenomenal talent. Never seen a player come out the blocks like him but my god what a bellend

Never thought he should have won the ballon d'or . However, everything you said was spot on Rio. He was phenomenal until injuries started to slow him down

Best teenager strikers ever Owen and R9, so sad they had career changing injuries as kids

Pure footballer❤️

3 years he was insane, but then came the injuries, the press, everyone dragging him as they do. MO because shot physically and mentally, he could have been a great in the game never mind premier league

18 years and he was already pl topscorer 97/98 says it all..def dont get enough respect

Owen was serious. I remember that final Vs arsenal. His wonder goal against Argentina. The old VHS tape of finishing drills. I remember as a kid the show hero to zero. He was the nuts

Well said! That fa cup against arsenal he was quiet for 80 mins then bang, game set match liverpool! Big time charly big games he showed up

Great post! It's true as a Liverpool fan - I think we were very upset the way he left us in 2004 (last minute to Real Madrid) and the Man United Move - so his stock went down. Bizarrely he was often compared to Fowler at Liverpool (due to the young prodigy status) Fowler was 'natural goal scorer' and 'bled' Liverpool but..Owen always was more like 'Englands - Owen' (very similar to the status afforded to Kevin keegan who oddly is more associated with Newcastle than Liverpool which is strange?) But I was thinking around a year ago and reminded myself what a great player he was and he did achieve (I think he only never won the Champs League - Irony cruel as Liverpool won it the season he went to Real 'to win things!!') but he won everything else (he got a prem medal with Man United hmmmm) Michael between 1997-2004 (was unstoppable) his peak 1998-2002. I think because his game depended on speed - and a dynamic speed the english game had never seen before from an english striker and hasn't since (Rashford is fast with the ball at his feet but finishing far more inconsistent) he needed a manager who could show him how to become something else which he could clearly do. He was dynamic (like Anelka - they're brief partnership at Liverpool - was ridiculous, it's a shame Houllier didn't take Anelka permanently👀 Houllier said he was trying to move back to Arsenal...I'm not sure about that. They're partnership could've been Pre--Mane & Salah and potentially far more lethal) He was a superstar and I will say probably still the most explosive England Forward probably since Jimmy Greaves. Kane is the best but he has scored lots of penalties. Owen's goal against Argentina is probably the greatest england goal in a World Cup Finals and is next to Barnes for a best individual goal! It's true Owen is a legend (and liverpool fans secretly know that and I think have forgiven him - I definitely have)

The first time I saw Owen play football as a kid was the day I decided I wanted to be a footballer!! He was an unreal player at his peak!

He had goat potential, sadly injuries ruined him Would love to see him come through in this day and age with modern sport science etc that may have been able to keep him playing in his prime for longer

Agree with everything Rio said here, mad player from 1998-2002. He was sent off against Utd for taking out Ronny Johnsen though, not Schmeichel.

I still remember when he burst on the scene. He was a thing. True hype.

thousand time around in my memory, Michael Owen on his prime was absolutely legend for Liverpool milenials

Owen and Fowler both natural born players and as a United fan I was always Happy that we had the worlds best defenders to try deal with them .

@englishlad8085

6 ай бұрын

@@Hassykay3 😂Torres was good for 1 season and yes Suarez is a genius .

The hamstring injury killed Owen. He was phenomenal

That goal on the world cup against Argentina "jaw on the floor'

One of England's greatest strikers. Scorer of big goals in big games.

@asnark7115

6 ай бұрын

England's ONLY great striker.

@user-zd8no7jg5n

6 ай бұрын

Jesus Christ how embarrassing

Brilliant goal scorer

That hat trick he scored at St James park will literally show you how good Michael Owen was!

A bullet with deadly finishing. He was a match winner for sureZ

He was the original star boy and generational talent in the pl. winning golden boot at 17 and 18 with strikers like cole shearer and co on the scene.