Michael Owen has fascinatingly revealed he 'couldn't wait to retire' during the back end of his stellar career.
Owen enjoyed a stellar career at the highest level of the game, playing for the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United.
However, muscle injuries plagued the former England international's career and as a result, Owen spent plenty of lengthy spells on the sidelines as he lost his blistering pace that once used to petrify defenders.
Owen - who scored 40 goals in 89 internationals - ended up calling a day on his successful career back in 2013 while at Stoke, at just the age of 33.
And the former striker, talking on BT Sport following Liverpool's victory over Brighton on Saturday, has strikingly admitted that he hated playing for the last six or seven years of his career as he lost all of his special attributes.
Owen said: 'Once I did it once, I was gone really. I changed my game, I went from someone who scored goals like I did against Argentina, beating players, I was quick, running in channels, I was crossing the ball. That was me.
'The last six or seven years of my career, I just turned into the only thing I could. I was petrified of running into a channel, I just knew I was going to tear a muscle.
'The worst thing about it all, your instinct says what you've always done, I was bred to be a footballer. Worst thing ever, Macca (Steve McManaman) gets the ball and then I think "oh no, you can't, don't, come off short".
'You have lost everything. All I did at the end of my career for six or seven years, I hated it. I couldn't wait to retire at the back end of my career because I wasn't me.'
