Michael Owen's Awkward Ballon d'Or Encounter Highlights Award's Growing Recognition

Former England striker Michael Owen described an awkward encounter at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London where a journalist appeared unfamiliar with his past win of the prestigious award.

The incident occurred as Owen was en route to the event when a reporter asked him, "What was the best standing in the Ballon d'Or when you were active?" Owen responded by stating, "Well I won it in 2001." The journalist, reporting for Norwegian channel TV2 Sport, then quickly replied, "you did right."

Owen was the last Englishman to win the Ballon d'Or until this year's ceremony, where England captain Harry Kane received the trophy. Owen secured the award in 2001 at the age of 23, surpassing competitors such as Raúl, Oliver Kahn, and David Beckham. He became the fourth Englishman to be recognized as the world's best player.

His triumph came after a successful season with Liverpool, during which he scored 24 goals and provided eight assists in 46 appearances across all competitions. That season, Liverpool also won the UEFA Cup, League Cup, and FA Cup, followed by a Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup the next summer, marking Liverpool as the first English club to secure five major trophies in a single calendar year.

Owen has previously spoken about his initial lack of awareness regarding the award's significance. In a 2023 interview with talkSPORT, he recalled his surprise when Gerard Houllier informed him of the win, admitting, "I didn’t know what the award was. I never did because I never even knew what it was. Back in those days it was never in our press." He noted that the award's magnitude became clearer to him after his move to Real Madrid in 2004, observing, "When I played for Real Madrid, it’s like an MBE, it follows you. Whenever they mention your name it’s Ballon d’Or winner." He further commented that while the award's prestige has grown in England over the last decade, "It’s so much bigger in other countries, in foreign countries."