Former England striker Michael Owen has named the best player that he ever shared the pitch with.
Owen enjoyed a career spanning 17 seasons and five clubs, and announced himself on the world stage during the 1998 World Cup in France with a now-iconic individual goal against Argentina.
Following a rise through the academy ranks at Liverpool, Owen scored on his first-team debut aged 17 and became a regular for the Reds the following season. The striker’s speed and touch, combined with his finishing made him one of the most lethal forwards in the world.
During his time at Anfield, Owen played alongside Premier League greats, but move to Real Madrid in 2004 catapulted him amongst the world’s elite — Luís Figo, Roberto Carlos, Raúl and David Beckham. A subsequent move back to England with Newcastle and Manchester United saw Owen line-up alongside Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs.
During a Q&A in a recent interview, Owen was asked to name the best player that he ever played alongside and he didn’t think twice about his answer — Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane needs no introduction; his name is synonymous with modern football.
“Zizou” began his senior career at Cannes before rising to prominence at Bordeaux, earning a transfer to Juventus in 1996, where he won two Serie A titles and the Ballon d’Or in 1998. In 2001, the playmaker became the most expensive player in the world when he joined Real Madrid for £46 million.
During his five seasons the Bernabéu, Zidane clinched a La Liga title and famously scored the winning goal — an unforgettable left-footed volley — in the 2002 Champions League final.
On the ball, Zidane seemed untouchable: velvet first touches, balletic roulettes and an uncanny sense of time and space. He didn’t just play matches — he dictated them.
For France, the midfielder was talismanic. Capped 108 times, Zidane led France to their first World Cup in 1998 — scoring twice in the 3-0 victory over Brazil in the final — and to Euro 2000 glory, where he was also named Player of the Tournament.
Even in defeat at the 2006 World Cup, where he won the Golden Ball before a notorious red card in the final against Italy, Zidane’s aura remained undimmed and he will no doubt go down in history as one of the greatest footballers of all-time.
