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Former Real Madrid Star Michael Owen Reveals Shocking Ballon d'Or Story

Originally posted on Real Madrid CF on SI
By Jordan Merritt | Last updated Jun 10, 2025 8:09 AM ET

Michael Owen has just one season at Real Madrid, signing from Liverpool in the summer of 2024. Although it was not the most successful, the Englishman scored 16 goals in 45 appearances.

Owen secured the move after bursting onto the scene as a teenager and having several successful seasons with the Premier League side. In 2001, he became the fourth English player to win the Ballon d'Or.

However, speaking on TalkSPORT, he revealed he did not know what that was at the time, sharing a story when he was told by the late Gerard Houllier, who was the Reds' head coach at the time.

When Gerard Houllier (Liverpool manager) called me and said: 'You've won the Ballon d'Or', I thought: 'What's that, boss? I didn't know what the award was. At that time, it never appeared in our press.Michael Owen

The Premier League’s Ballon d'Or winners:

Michael Owen at Liverpool
Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United
Rodri at Manchester City pic.twitter.com/aW67FvWIXI
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) October 29, 2024

The 45-year-old continued, revealing that he had come to understand the importance of the award after joining Real Madrid, as players frequently discussed it.

Whenever they mentioned your name, it was Ballon d'Or. It's very important abroad, and in England it's only been recognized in the last 5 or 10 years. It's much more important in other countries, abroad. I immediately realized how important it was.Michael Owen

This article first appeared on Real Madrid CF on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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