Michael Owen opened up about the animosity he has faced from both Newcastle United and Liverpool supporters throughout his career, particularly following his controversial moves between clubs at the start of the century with a brief stint at Real Madrid sandwiched in the middle.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Owen addressed his decision to leave Real Madrid for Newcastle in 2005, despite his clear preference to rejoin Liverpool, and the lasting impact of his subsequent move to Manchester United after playing 71 games for the Magpies.
Owen, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2001 during his time at Anfield, acknowledged that his career trajectory after leaving Liverpool led to mixed feelings among fans.
“The moment I chose to go to Real Madrid, I lost control of my career and what the perceptions of it are,” Owen said. “I don’t love going to Anfield now because I know I am not loved back. I tend to only go when I am working.”
The former England striker revealed that he had a clause in his Newcastle contract allowing him to return to Liverpool each summer, but a deal never materialized.
“Even though I had a clause in my Newcastle contract that I could re-sign for Liverpool every summer, there was resentment directed at me before then when I played for Newcastle,” Owen said.
Owen joined Newcastle for a then-club-record £16.8 million following his season in Spain, but injuries plagued his time on Tyneside, and the team was eventually relegated in 2009 with Owen in tow.
Out of contract, Owen moved to Manchester United—a decision that further alienated fans of both Newcastle and Liverpool.
“The Manchester United aspect is now an easier stick to beat me with, but when I came back to Anfield for the first time as a Newcastle player, there were a few hundred, possibly a thousand supporters, booing me,” Owen said.
Reflecting on the backlash, Owen described the toll it took on him and his family.
“I can’t forget how I, my parents, and my former Liverpool team-mates felt,” Owen said. “Everyone who understood and appreciated the reality of the situation was disappointed on my behalf.”
Owen’s legacy remains complicated, to say the least.
Over four seasons at Newcastle, he scored 30 goals in 79 appearances across all competitions, he scored 17 goals in 52 games for Manchester United before concluding his career at Stoke City in 2013 (1 goal in 8 games), and he definitely had his best years in Liverpool where he notched 118 goals in 216 apps on his way to winning the Ballon d’Or.
For what it’s worth, Owen is the latest Englishman to win the coveted award and the only one to do so since Kevin Keegan won it all the way back in 1979.