Owen wins Euro award

BBC ^ | Dec 17 | staff

[jjbrouwer]

Michael Owen has been named European Footballer of the Year.

The Liverpool and England striker becomes the first English winner of the award since Kevin Keegan in 1979.

The 22-year-old frontman finished top of a poll of journalists conducted by France Football magazine.

"I couldn't believe it when I first heard the news," he said in an interview with the award organisers.

How they finished

1 M Owen - 176 points ; 2 Raul - 140 ; 3 Oliver Kahn - 114; 4 David Beckham - 102; 5 Francesco Totti - 57; 6 Luis Figo - 56; 7 Rivaldo - 20; 8 A Shevchenko - 18; 9 Thierry Henry - 14; 10 Z Zidane - 14 ;

"I knew that I was on;e of the five players in question, but it still seemed unbelievable to me.

"Marco van Basten won it three times. Michel Platini as well... add my name to that of Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, Rivaldo, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan. I am extremely proud," added Owen.

Real Madrid striker Raul finished second and German goalkeeper Oliver Khan third.

The Liverpool striker polled 176 votes to 140 for Raul and 114 for Bayern Munich stopper Kahn.

England skipper David Beckham finished fourth with 102, after earlier being named as runner-up in a separate Fifa award ceremony for World Footballer of the Year.

Owen's Anfield team-mate Gary McAllister told BBC Radio Five Live that the young striker was worthy of the accolade.

"His number of goals in ratio to the number of chances he gets is amazing." The experienced Scotsman ranked Owen alongside his former team-mate Eric Cantona.

"Michael is as dangerous a forward as I've ever played with," he added.

To my mind Michael's been the best player in the world over the past year Liverpool great Ian Rush And Anfield legend Ian Rush joined McAllister in hailing Owen.

"It's richly deserved. Over the last year Michael has been the form man for England, in Europe as well as the Premiership," said Rush.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson sent his own congratulations to the young striker on the Football Association's official website.

"I am extremely pleased for Michael. He has had many outstanding performances this year both for Liverpool and England," said Eriksson.

Owen is the sixth British winner of the award since its inception in 1956. Owen hit the headlines by grabbing a stunning hat-trick in England's magnificent 5-1 victory over Germany in Munich last September.

But he has also had a superb season domestically, scoring twice in the FA Cup final win over Arsenal as Liverpool won an unprecedented cup treble that also included the Worthington and Uefa Cups.

[jjbrouwer]

A salute to the greatest British footballer of the past 30 years.

[mjk19]

I am not a big soccer fan but I remember seeing him in the World Cup three years ago. He had an awesome game against Argentina. I believe he scored the two English goals. One of them he ran down a long pass. I think he was just 18. Its good to see him on top. I thought I heard he was having some problems with injuries.

[KC_Conspirator]

I guess Bobby Moore was a POS? Micheal Owen's career has barely begun so IMHO I think its a little early to put so much pressure on him. He is a hell of a player although, but I suspect that Liverpool will get drubbed this Sunday.

[jjbrouwer]

England for the World Cup 2002!

[jjbrouwer]

Owen is ten times the player Moore ever was. Anyway I said the last 30 years. Moore was an early seventies player.

He may only be 22 but he has been a world class player since he was 17. People compared him to Pele after he scored that amazing goal against Argentina in the last World Cup.

But he keeps getting better, despite worrying injury problems. His hat-trick (that means three goals in a match) when England beat Germany 5-1 in Germany was one of the greatest individual performances you will ever see.

[flushed with pride]

I look for England to do better in WC'02 than they did in 98. Maybe Beckham won't lose his cool this time.

On a side note, are you a Wizards fan?

[KC_Conspirator]

What award did they just give Luis Figo out of Portugal?

As impressive as Owens has been for England, I also think Beckham has been impressive as well. His coolheadedness (Who would have thought I would be saying that after 4 years ago?) in the game against Greece gave England the tie late in the game sent England to the Cup. I am just glad to see Man U. struggling this year.

[KC_Conspirator]

Yeah, I go to the games. KC is not a great place to be a fan, but you can usually get a good seat and don't have to wait in lines. They need some sort of stadium like Columbus.

Plus, their jerseys suck.

[flushed with pride]

I'm a season ticket holder. Don't know if that makes me smart or stupid, but it's cheap entertainment for me and my daughter (my wife and other two kids aren't into it that much). Arrowhead is a good venue, I just wish it were in KANSAS! just kidding.

[connectthedots]

My father was stationed at RAF Mildenhall from 1964-1967. If I recall correctly, Bobby Charlton played center forward for England during the World Cup that year and his brother Jackie played center half. Right off hand I cannot recall the name of the player who was the hero of the World Cup final in which England beat West Germany 4-2 in overtime. I also cannot recall if that player scored 2 or three goals during that game, but do remember he got both OT goals. Do you recall his name?

[connectthedots]

That would have been the 1966 World Cup, played in England and the world's most famous pitch, Wembly Stadium.

[longjack]

Figo received World Soocer Player of the Year. I read it in Yahoo Germany.

Gotta' love those mid-fielders.

longjack

[jjbrouwer]

Connect: Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick for England when we beat Germany 4-2 in the 1966 World Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. Bobby Charlton and his brother Jack played in the game too.

KC: I think Beckham finished second in the contest. He is I believe also in contention for the World Player of the Year trophy which is decided this weekend. Figo, Raul and Owen - I should imagine - will be contesting the award too.

[jjbrouwer]

Oops, longjack is quite correct. For some reason I thought it was this weekend. Must have been yesterday.

BBC Report

I think Beckham was runner-up with Raul third. I still think Owen is better than the three of them though. In many ways the Euro award carries more prestige.

[Happygal]

England for World Cup 2002?

Over my dead Irish body!!!! BTW...yer group SUCKS!!!! *LMAO*...while we on the other hand got a group that a girls u-14 squad could take out on a Sunday mornin' *LMAO*

[connectthedots]

Okay, one more question about the England WC team of 1966. Who was the left (may have been right half) half that marked all the opposing sides best scorers and did such a fantastic job on defence (deferring to the British spelling of defense)?

[The Kitten]

Hasta happen. Hasta!

[jjbrouwer]

That was probably either Nobby Stiles or Bobby Moore.

Happygal, you shouldn't keep putting your body in the way like that!!!

[connectthedots]

Nobby Stiles was the guy. He had a fantastic World Cup in 1966. I believe he marked both Pele and Eusebio (Spain, and regarded at that time to be the top player in the world) and kept both of them under control.

[jjbrouwer]

Yes, he wasn't someone you would want to mess with on a dark night.

Strangely, our best player of that era, Jimmy Greaves, only got about one game in that tournament. Greaves was the Michael Owen of his day.

Alas, he turned to alcoholism like the other true great of that time, George Best.