Breakthrough at 17
Owen joined Liverpool's youth set-up as a boy and made his senior debut in May 1997, aged 17. He was an instant success, quickly becoming first choice up front and one of the most feared young forwards in the Premier League thanks to his explosive pace and clinical finishing.
Back-to-back Golden Boots
Owen won the Premier League Golden Boot in successive seasons, 1997–98 and 1998–99, scoring 18 league goals in each campaign. His performances also earned him a place in England's 1998 World Cup squad at just 18 years old, where he scored the solo goal against Argentina that made him a household name.
The 2001 treble and the Ballon d'Or
The high point of Owen's Liverpool career came in 2000–01, when the club won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup in a single season — with Owen as top scorer, including a match-turning double in the FA Cup final against Arsenal. That season earned him the 2001 Ballon d'Or.
Departure to Real Madrid
Recurring injuries affected Owen in the years that followed, and in 2004, with his Liverpool contract entering its final year, he moved to Real Madrid for a reported fee of around £8 million.