Former England striker Michael Owen announced on Tuesday that he will bring down the curtain on his professional career at the end of the current season. The 33-year-old scored 40 goals in 89 appearances for England and won the prestigious Ballon d'Or in 2001, but the latter years of his career were disrupted by injuries. Following a three-year stint at Manchester United, he joined Stoke City last year but has barely played since arriving at the Britannia Stadium.
He announced his retirement on his personal website, writing: "It is with an immense amount of pride that I am announcing my intention to retire from Professional Football at the end of this season." Owen exploded onto the global scene at the 1998 World Cup in France when he scored a famous solo goal against Argentina at the age of just 18. He scored 158 goals in 297 appearances for Liverpool, his formative club, but his career lost momentum after he joined Real Madrid in 2004. Unable to make an impression in Spain, he returned to England with Newcastle the following year, but he became plagued by injuries that ultimately curtailed his England career.
His spell at Manchester United yielded his first Premier League winner's medal, in 2011, but he was only ever used as a back-up player and left the club when his contract expired last year. "I have been very fortunate in that my career has taken me on a journey that like many young players starting out, I could only have dreamt of," Owen added. "None of this would have been possible without the tremendous support I have received from managers, coaches, fellow players, back room staff, the supporters and my own personal sponsors." He went on to thank his family, including his father, Terry Owen, who was also a professional footballer.