Michael Owen has told British magazine "442" that he did not receive the recognition that usually comes with winning the Ballon d'Or in 2001.
Owen was the last English player to win the Ballon d'Or until Harry Kane won the award.
Owen won the Ballon d'Or at the age of 22, after an extraordinary season with Liverpool in which the club won a cup treble: the League Cup, the UEFA Cup and the FA Cup.
2001 was also the year Owen scored a hat-trick in England's 5-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Germany. The match, played in Munich, cemented his reputation as England's most lethal striker.
To win the highest individual honor in football, Owen beat a field of stars that included Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Raúl, Rivaldo, England team-mate David Beckham and Luís Figo.
Owen said: "I don't think I got the recognition I should have got when I won the Ballon d'Or. In our country, the Ballon d'Or was never that important. When I was in Spain, they called me a hero for winning it. I am incredibly proud to have received this honor.
"I look back at the list of winners, and I still have it saved on my phone: a picture of the points table, showing who finished second, third, fourth and so on.
"When you look at that list, it's amazing. It's what I always dreamed of as a child. I didn't just want to be a footballer; I wanted to be the best footballer. Looking back now, I appreciate winning the Ballon d'Or even more than I did when I was playing. Back then, you were 22, it felt like just another trophy, and you were only thinking about winning it again."
When Owen won the award, the Ballon d'Or had not yet reached the prominence it would later have in the era of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. From the late 2000s into the 2010s, the two players competed for the award almost every season, and football fans worldwide followed their rivalry for the title of the world's best player.
To this day, Owen remains the last Liverpool player to win the Ballon d'Or while at the club.
Widbiltz
0
Your
omoh,if you want to monitor me here,you go get problem ooh
Jieabkmpr
0
Owen got no recognition because he betrayed Liverpool.
Your
Alexknowsball
1
Micheal Owen used to have aura, especially his England jerseys
Witcmoptz
0
Balloon d'or is NOT as important as of today. Sir was CR7 and Messi together with fans that make it important today.
Witcmoptz
1
Balloon d'or is as important as of today. It was CR7 and Messi together with fans that make it important today
ngc3bo
0
Isn't a Ballon d'or enough recognition
BoluwatifeAyomide
0
legend for where?
Go and learn about him
Widbiltz
0
This man wahala is too much We already know you are legend na.
legend for where?
Widbiltz
0
Owen got no recognition because he betrayed Liverpool.
BoluwatifeAyomide
0
This man wahala is too much We already know you are legend na.
deabdktz
0
ehd
ORUVAL3
1
Hahahahaha 😂 Jealousy has stepped in...just appreciate and move on...the periods are not the same!!
deabdktz
1
vabya