Did Michael Owen REALLY Flop at Real Madrid?

When Michael Owen's solitary season is mentioned, I think most people believe he flopped.
Is this really true?
Sources:
Transfermarkt.com
www.theguardian.com/football/...
www.theguardian.com/football/...
Wikipedia.org

[@LaughterCigar]

The words of the media are not necessarily the reality of the fans. Me and all my Madridista friends at the time really liked Owen and thought he should play more. We didn't like the board's decision to sell him.

[@MrBirchieBirch]

I watched pretty much every Madrid game that season, and he was definitely not a flop. Club politics (Raul) meant he got less minuites than he actually deserved. Goals to minutes tells you everything you need to know about his time at Madrid.

[@jimclawley9117]

No, he was injury prone late 20’s but boy what a talent he was 17-25

[@gladiatorscoops4907]

Anyone who think he flopped didn't watch him back then. He just struggled to get minutes cos he had Raul (the golden boy of Madrid) and R9 (I don't need to say anything about R9) ahead of him. He was an unbelievable option Madrid had coming off the bench with his pace and goal threat and scored a fair amount of goals.

[@beejj6190]

Yup. Owen's issue was one of perception amongst the Madrid higher ups and the press., They didn't care he was a speed demon and scoring prodigy... they wanted a fantasy player [technically] which wasn't Owens's particular genius.

[@nilber24]

I remember Owen and I really liked him, all I remember is him scoring, scoring and scoring coming from the bench. He was a great forward.

[@MCsorlotron]

As a kid from the UK who grew up in spain i can honestly say he was so go for madrid that year. Politics!

[@GamerFrisco]

Stupid politics

[@lukespencer7499]

So did I! Where did u grow up? My family are from Jerez

[@MCsorlotron]

@Luke Spencer valencia bro but always loved the era of galacticos

[@MrGts92]

He was misused but he was also impatient. If he stayed there longer he would've given the coach no choice but to play. His goals to minutes ratio was excellent. Not to mention a less physical league, he could've sustained his body alot longer and maybe another Spanish team could've come in for him.

[@MrGts92]

@@dannybuck2047 but Owen wasn't due not "fitting culture" ... Salgado even confirmed everything.

[@jerichosaril2395]

In Liverpool he was the golden boy...but in Galacticos there are players who shine better than you...but he wasnt a flop...he scored crucial goals during that season in Real

[@hod2116]

His best attributes had already left him due to injury he was scared to run full speed as a result

[@manbearpiglett-4110]

Ahead of Raul? You reckon, Madrid would eventually play Owen, ahead of Raul? You know before Ronaldo CR7, and actually Ronaldo CR9, Raul was THE best Madrid player, the legend from their own academy. I think Owen was right to leave.

[@L1am21]

​@@manbearpiglett-4110Raul had fell off he played like shit at this time.

[@AliMakaveli]

*Owen loves Liverpool so much that he joined United on a free transfer to win the league with them. A true scouse.*

[@TheBritSniper]

He wanted to come back to Liverpool but Liverpool didint want him so he was offered a choice to go to either Manchester United or Stoke!

[@stevenbrown6593]

Owen will always be a legend at Liverpool

[@lrtvhighlights3687]

Owen is from Chester not Liverpool

[@Collier990RHCP]

He’s not scouse

[@oo0024]

He was an Everton supporter as a child 🤣

[@CHILDRENOFTHEYEAR]

Massive fan of this channel mate, severely underrated. Another top video!

[@flashbackfootball1367]

Much appreciated man, Glad you're enjoying it!

[@MrThedonhead]

Owen was a great player just had his prime young from 17 to 25 he was brilliant and always exciting to watch thats a long time being one of the best players in the world

[@herbert9241]

Limited opportunities but gave a good account of himself when those opportunities came. The supporters appreciated him.

[@123kido]

For the benefit of youngsters, Owen really was a superstar when he came onto the scene

[@michael7949]

This channel is so underrated great video again.

[@pushon10]

Oh man. I actually feel bad for Owen here. I also wasn't expecting Raul to be so petty and unprofessional! He seemed like such a gentleman.

[@rogermellie8068]

You can't get into any kind of consistency when you are sub half of the time. If Owen had played every week he would've been on fire , Raul sounded threatened by Owens arrival and tried his hardest to screw it up for him . Selfish and not a team player .

[@geraltoffuckingrivia1157]

The best player ever to have every fan base dislike him of all time.

[@craigmullen9046]

Great at Liverpool, he had one great season at Real Madrid. After that never the same

[@corneliussmiff2773]

He had some horrific injuries to be fair.

[@Makadocious88]

Honestly I didn’t know what Owen went through in Madrid, always thought he was a major problem. (Always cheering for Barcelona) I remember even Ronaldo had problems with both Raul, Morientes & Guti during the 2004/2005/2006 years. What a shame, even as a Barcelona fan I loved watching the galaticos! It was crazy times to be a football fan

[@aahillcfc229]

Owen was really good at real even as a sub! Unfortunately his move to Newcastle and injuries failed him

[@RaseYourProbs]

I'm a Newcastle fan, I saw him for Newcastle. It wasn't that Newcastle was a bad move for him, trust me. Look at his number, his goal to game ratio was still up there. The problem was not his quality, he still had it and was getting decent service to showcase his quality. The problem was his body was failing him, the biggest problem. He just wasn't ever fit for more than 5/6 games. The fans turned on him as well that didn't help. But the main issue was his fitness.

[@ByuntaeOG]

Raul had little to do with him not playing. It was the change of formation that killed him, they went from 2 strikers to Ronaldo as a lone striker. Raul himself that season was played as a weird roaming left winger (hence the garbage stats), Guti and Beckham were played as defensive midfielders, they had defensive midfielders playing CB, CBs playing left back, the entire team was a complete mess... They tried to put Owen on the right wing, except they already had Figo there.

[@messiisgoat007]

This is the same thing that's happening to Real Madrid now. Perez's obsession to bring Mbappe is killing the team. When they had the chance to sign Kane Perez didn't go for him just coz he is obsessed to bring Mbappe and now they are without a good striker !!

[@javiersuarez4288]

He definitely didnt flop! He scored a lot of goals, he had great players ahead of him and didnt get the play time that he needed akd deserved, but he definitely didnt flop! Neither did Macca by the way :p

[@darrenenglish899]

Subscribed just there. Top class videos for a "smaller" channel. Keep it up💜

[@flashbackfootball1367]

Thank you! Will do!

[@fabiocaroca5495]

I'm really enjoying your channel. Keep it up, my friend

[@tazzatamania]

Simply put, no, he didn't flop. He scored most times that he played and they only bought him to show how mighty they were.

[@cosmicslop1272]

Very good video. Great info

[@dscwac396]

Lmao he was injured pretty much from 23 till he retired and he was considered the best of the striker still, just imagine if he stays healthy.

[@corneliussmiff2773]

He was legit a GOAT level striker at such a young age, but his body was not able to comply. It's scary how good he could have become in later years.

[@dscwac396]

@@corneliussmiff2773 this sad part is when he left Liverpool at 23 I think it was he had already peaked and he was on the decline

[@power279]

Imagine if Micheal Owen join other team suchs as Bayern, Barca or Lyon during that period..ill bet..he will do very well.

[@sf2explus184]

It's a shame people forgot so quick how good owen was before his injuries. just look at the finnishes he knew how to create angles to finnish even if it meant leaning and dropping to make contact a true striker. i had a liverpool fan the other day telling me prime vs prime mo salah is better than owen. now it's a valid opinion but i don't think mo salah next to zidane,ronaldo, raul could still perform the way owen did next to almost an entire squad of all time greats

[@bigheadedm]

He didn’t flop but he wasn’t a regular… he should have stayed there in Spain as it was less physical!

[@dannysstart2218]

yh but he would of just sat on the bench.

[@bigheadedm]

@@dannysstart2218 when I said stay in Spain .. I mean play for another Spanish team like Valencia who were a top team at that time!

[@jasonchatto]

Beckham was well liked at Madrid. A lot of UK fans don't rate him. Very underated.

[@jimelements7472]

That’s not really true. There was some bad feeling towards Beckham for a few years after his sending off at the 98 World Cup and his celebrity lifestyle didn’t help him but he proved himself many times with inspirational performances as England captain over the next few years and is highly respected by football fans in the UK.

[@MrGts92]

Yeah that's because of their own politics.

[@lenkiewitcz]

@@jimelements7472 That was the press again...that sending off was as political as it gets...and we still goto Penalties with 10 men. Even as a Liverpool fan i've always felt Beckham was a class player.

[@brunaciompi1717]

​@@lenkiewitcz He was a class player but was massively overrated

[@brunaciompi1717]

Beckham flopped at Madrid except for his last season. He was a generational talent who was overhyped and underperformed for a good part of his career but was rated like an all the time great by the media. He is underrated by a set of football fans but hardly underrated in the grand scheme of things. He was very much overrated in the way his performances were rated

[@nickash9936]

Even when raul was playing badly the manger still would,nt start owen and when he played him he played well,i think he was given a raw raw deal at madrid

[@paulcooper7942]

I thought he did well Grew up with him and Beckham as 2 of my favourite England players ever, England could have won world cup 2002 and should have won euro 2004

[@leehambleton9919]

I don't think he was a flop Michael was a brilliant striker he suffered with injuries but he was definitely world class

[@cm182cm]

You said Owen adapted well to a new country... he lived in a hotel the whole time and watched British TV

[@flashbackfootball1367]

Yeah, maybe adapted was the wrong word, I'm meant more that in sporting terms he managed to adapt quickly and do reasonably well. Living in a hotel turned out to be a good decision in the end though.

[@tlst9999]

7:59 43 goals from a 3 striker rotation. 9:03 We need more firepower.

[@adammac4960]

He scored 13 goals from the bench. He was competing with Ronaldo and Raul and I don’t think he fit into the type of system they were playing so he was used as an impact player which he did a good job at but for michaels ego he was used to being the star and that’s what he wanted.

[@stevestryker]

Owen was arguably a victim of Perez's galactico policy. Instead of allowing a manager to sign who he needed instead of signing another "superstar" to sell more shirts and generate more buzz from the British media.

[@bigzardman]

Just found your channel and subbed great content suppose the big question is when will an English man ever win a balloon do'or again

[@flashbackfootball1367]

Welcome aboard chief. I don't see it happening any time soon, they don't seem keen on English players. Maybe someone like Phil Foden or Jude Bellingham has the Potential? Or Harry Kane if he moves to one of their favoured leagues and scores boat loads. But again, I'm not holding my breath 😂

[@bigzardman]

@@flashbackfootball1367 I agree jude or Phil have a chance but I think there's only been perhaps 3 midfielders in recent times to have won it those being Zidane, kaka and modric 😬

[@manbearpiglett-4110]

Honestly English talent isn't bad at all, but compared to some of the absolute stars around the world, they're just not on the same level. Stats alone don't count for everything but equally it's very hard to compare an English striker to the stats of Benzema, Ronaldo, Messi, Lewandowski. Midfielders like Modric, De Bruyne, Xavi, Iniesta, Zidane, Kaka. I honestly don't think it's mean-spirited, it's just that objectively English players aren't excelling to that level. Foden is a good shout, Bellingham too, there's definitely cause for hope

[@FearTheIndoorHorseRancher]

@@manbearpiglett-4110no clue about football 😂

[@FearTheIndoorHorseRancher]

@@manbearpiglett-4110😂😂 please stop pretending you know football

[@songkok7hitam]

The only English players ever won Ballon d'Or. Nuff said

[@L1am21]

The 1st 2 ballon d'or's was given to English player Stanley Matthew's 😂

[@jordangriffiths5137]

Bobby Charlton

[@pauljohnston2483]

Did he also suffer from winning the Ballon d'Or in 2001. The Spanish press were incensed that Owen and not Raul won. I remember him at Madrid. He did well but don't forget Madrid didn't suit Owen. Far from his horses, only a couple of golf partners. If him and Bale were their together they'd have both been kings

[@beejj6190]

Owen's issue was one of perception amongst the Madrid higher ups and the press., They didn't care he was a speed demon and scoring prodigy... they wanted a fantasy player [technically] which wasn't Owen's particular genius. Great vids btw but sort those endings out, lol! ; ) x

[@flashbackfootball1367]

Endings of my words, sentences or endings of the videos?

[@beejj6190]

@ackfootball1367 No the narration is excellent. The abrupt ' Oh, it's ended..?!' is too harsh for such a well -put together production. Good luck (and I've $ubbed, btw : )

[@flashbackfootball1367]

This is a fair critique, I have a tendency to rush the outros! I try to get better every video and it's something to work on. Thanks for the sub!

[@beejj6190]

@@flashbackfootball1367 - My man you have some great stuff... just utilise a short catchy outro (simply use it as your signature endings ; ) All the best, champ and thank you for the vids : )

[@simon0044]

Ruud walked into that team and was first team straight away. That’s the difference

[@gladiatorscoops4907]

Difference was R9 was coming to the end of his time at Madrid and struggled with injuries so there was a place for Ruud.

[@Edelweiss1102]

Zidane, Figo and Owen himself were gone by that time, and Ronaldo was starting to be way more injured, so there was actual room for Rude to play. 2004/2005 was just a fucking mess with 3 trainers, the unfortunate sell of Makelele who was the pivot who kept everything together and a shit town of world-class, but not fitting stars. They had Raul, Ronaldo, Owen, Morientens, Zidane, Figo, Beckham, Guti and Solari that season, good luck trying to make them all fit.

[@tabb5818]

Who said he was a flop? First I’ve heard of it was this random KZbin creator saying it

[@flashbackfootball1367]

Plenty of the papers painted him as a flop mate, the Sun still does to this day in fact.

[@dannysstart2218]

he was 2nd top scorer... of team behind ronaldo... (he was a flop after leaving real)

[@solidbanjobanjo9367]

To understand Spanish culture and media is to understand that if you’re not Latino, Mediterranean or African you’re gonna have a hard time, the jealousy in that country is off the charts

[@ahmadburhanhabibi]

Ironically the price Madrid paid for him was too low for him to be given the chance

[@ahmadburhanhabibi]

If Madrid paid the beckham-like figures to liverpool, he would be more appreciated more.

[@jarvismarvis8900]

Raul a snake 🐍

[@davzinzan]

As with Gareth Bale, a world class player who was treated far too harshly by some clowns in the media

[@jelliscorpio]

Yeah, imagine if they didn't have those scummy 'sports journalists' whipping up the Ultras to get on those two players' backs.

[@josdav07]

Gareth Bale did some really good seasons at Real Madrid, he just lost interest in football.

[@dannysstart2218]

it was 8mil plus 2m nunez (10 total which was under market value)

[@jasonchatto]

Good video. A lot of truths. Some players don't get accepted. Some don't fit in a system. No doubt Owen was a class striker. Just not a showman trick master

[@NffcR]

17 year old MO would have definitely been a galactico

[@litttlewing]

Which is why the Premiere League is the best. Fans actually appreciate and respect their clubs players. Look at PSG now calling out Messi and Neymar lmao

[@keithdeakin1860]

He didn't do Madrid any harm, he scored goals and they made a good profit when they sold him.

[@realnesx]

Real Madrid do this to certain players and it back fires. If Madrid showed him love he would destroyed it. Funny how Madrid want Haaland Haaland no Henry or Suarez but Haaland still scores. 🤔

[@ryancottle1563]

Should have stayed at LFC. Torres/Owen with Gerrard behind would have been special.

[@garybriers690]

If him and Jonathan Woodgate had been signed at the same time, they could have learned Spanish in the treatment room only🤣

[@PhantomPanda1992]

toxic league, toxic media and fans, worse than the prem

[@KmT81]

Three English in Madrid McManaman,Owen and Beckham

[@djelalniyazi4090]

it was just injuries that blighted his career

[@wolfeflambe]

Raul was a petulant little man. Sad really that a club allowed a player to run the dressing room. As for AS, look at the state of La Liga now. Toxic reporting is a strange way of attracting the top players to the league.

[@JohnnyMaverik]

Many clubs do unfortunately.

[@oliverrichards5009]

Didn't play much...good scoring record and cost just 8m.if anything a bargain

[@svlagonda7417]

100% spot on

[@josephh4999]

If bale can’t please them no British player could! Wouldn’t surprise me if they turn in Bellingham after a few months

[@melanineyedoc]

He was too quick for his own knees.

[@miguelrosado6348]

Yes, he did flop because he couldn't impose himself on the team and to the fans. The treatment that he has received from the Spanish press is basically the same that every player and manager receives if there is the slightest suspicion about him. That's why Real Madrid is Real Madrid! It has the most demanding fans and press in the world. You have to prove yourself and it doesn't matter where you come from. Real Madrid is royalty in football: it doesn't matter what you have achieved before because you are just a peasent who needs to prove yourself to be worthy. A season where they win La Liga but don't win the Champions is considered a failure. Just look at Mourinho who managed to break Barcelona's consecutive la liga wins, but "only" reached the semi-finals in the Champions. He was kicked out and considered by many as failure in Real Madrid.

[@dazzaMusic]

He was very good at RM just not at the level he was when he played at Liverpool

[@jonisilk]

Should never have left Liverpool. They'd have built a statue of him. But then he always was a turncoat.

[@natmol1595]

Did Michael Owen play for Everton as a youth?

[@jasonchatto]

Many thanks Bale was a flop. But he was not bad when he played. Just didn't play enough.

[@paulearl8203]

Why is this even a title? Didnt he have the best goals per minutes in the squad?

[@dodi1986]

I have never heard he was a flop

[@garyconnor6845]

I don't think anyone ever said he was a flop at Madrid

[@prophetascending9021]

So, he outscored Raul, the Spaniard, at a Spanish club? Seems like Michael gave a good account of himself.

[@theginka]

last Englishman to succeed at Madrid was Meckmanaman all other where busts Beckham was just moving commercial stand noting els more

[@mambaman9363]

Real Madrid has a lot of flops to play with. They even flop themselves sometimes.

[@originalnutzie4409]

He's pace off the spot was insane he definitely should have stayed at real madrid plusif your playing next the GOAT Ronaldo I wouldn't leave 😂

[@dv3386]

Why is anyone asking now?

[@spike7038]

Good video…joined Madrid under a poor manager

[@WELLBRAN]

I think he had an injury when transferred

[@stevesoldwedel]

Now do his time at Newcastle. 😂

[@cjp8155]

How could anyone flop in that Mickey Mouse league.

[@67lionsoflisbon37]

Too much football too young. Curtailed his later career. But a brilliant forward on his day.

[@mattheendpod2659]

No one ever said he was a flop. Pointless video.

[@flashbackfootball1367]

Yeah that's right mate, not a single British newspaper has ever labeled him as "Real Madrid Flop". Idiot

[@neilnewman6426]

I said this he had a decent goal scoring record

[@JC-zj7nv]

I didn't know that about Raul, complete unprofessional shit head behaviour at its finest. All things considered I thought even at the time he did well in spite of what he had to deal with.

[@dazeng4633]

HE never gave the club a chance

[@alejandrorodriguezdomingue174]

Raúl was and is the best spaniard footballer in history and much better than Owen as second 9. Raúl deserved the ballon d or of Owen. That is why Owen failed his career in Madrid

[@27rosslare]

So the answer is yes!

[@Clem_Fandango11]

Liverpool broke him....playing him so young, even when he wasn't fit meant long-term he was never going to be playing at the standard he set. For me possibly for a while he was the greatest England striker I've seen.

[@ronnyperez8474]

Hazard and Kaka where the worst

[@tonyterpine5690]

In nutshell....YES HE DID

[@kidnumber1ormaybenot]

It’s not about injury that made him flopped. He was struggle to have any game time cause he has to compete with Raul Gonzalez and Ronaldo(9). Anh we both know how great they were back in the days.

[@barthomme6890]

rm is just too toxic for him

[@mogadog9184]

owen was better than raul well better

[@mrktheo1933]

Should of stayed with lfc. He's a tratior..

[@benbernanke7244]

"guaranteed 20 goals a season". He had never and did ever score 20 league goals in a season.

[@flashbackfootball1367]

I didn't say twenty league goals.

[@gerardmurphy6263]

He was long term injury when he went 8m not bad

[@keithgray4891]

As father of a former premier league football player, I can confirm Mr Owen was one arrogant individual 😡

[@dannysstart2218]

this video made me no like raul much. not a nice way to act at all.