“I won the Ballon d'Or in decline” - Ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid ace Michael Owen opens up on being embarrassed to play football after setback

Former Real Madrid star Michael Owen has claimed that he won the Ballon d'Or during his decline. He believes that no player was better than him during his teenage years, but the hamstring injury ruined his career, making him embarrassed about his career after turning 26.

Speaking to Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel, Owen claimed that he was better than Thierry Henry, as the Frenchman was a late bloomer. The former Real Madrid striker added that his feat of winning the Premier League Golden Boot at 17 will never be repeated, and noted that his Ballon d'Or win came during a period of decline. He said:

"I was embarrassed to have my name on my shirt when I was 26 and beyond. I won that [the Ballon d'Or] in decline. I snapped my hamstring in two when I was 19. Between the age of 7 years old and 19, I'm not sure there was a player on the planet [better than me]. There was a few like Ronaldo [Nazario]. But I played against Thierry Henry at that age and he was a late developer. I was 16 and maybe he was 17 or 18. But he wasn't doing the same things I was doing. At 17, I had won the golden boot in the Premier League. It'll never be done again!"

Michael Owen won the Ballon d'Or when he was a 22-year-old and remains the second youngest to get the award, after former Real Madrid striker Ronaldo Nazario. In 2001, he played a key role in helping Liverpool win the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup, which led him to edge out Raul for the prestigious award.

Real Madrid move disrupted the career, claims Ballon d'Or winner

Former Ballon d'Or winner Michael Owen has claimed that he lost control of his career after deciding to join Real Madrid. He admitted that the pressure of playing for Los Blancos was intense and he lose his focus because of the glamour off the pitch.

In an interview with The Athletic, he said (via beIN Sports):

"When I first heard about Madrid's interest, I had mixed emotions. I was proud that such a club was interested in me. I felt flattered, but at the same time unsure. I spent almost a week turning over in my bed before making my decision. As soon as I decided to go to Madrid, I lost control of my career."

"It marked the end of the perception others had of me as a player. It’s true that it was the ‘Holy Grail’ for a footballer, but it was also a place where the pressure is so intense you can hardly breathe. It wasn’t what I had expected. Madrid is a club with history, glamour, and everything a footballer dreams of, but when you get there, you realize it can be a place where you lose your essence. In my case, it cost me my professional life."

Michael Owen was at Real Madrid for just one season, scoring 16 goals in 45 matches, before returning to England with Newcastle United. The Ballon d'Or winner played for Manchester United and Stoke City before retiring from the game in 2013.