Michael Owen responded to Rooney: who was better at 17 – statistics.

Michael Owen's response to the comparison with Wayne Rooney

According to The Sun: Michael Owen defended his career, reacting to comparisons with Wayne Rooney on social media.

The 45-year-old Owen reminded everyone of his achievements in youth, responding to questions about who was better at 17.

Fans are actively debating who of the two young talents was better, as both Owen and Rooney impressed with their performances at a young age.

In response to the question of who was better at 17, Owen cited statistics that support his case.

“At 17, I scored 18 goals in the Premier League (winning the Golden Boot), while Wazza scored 6. At 18, I again scored 18 goals (winning the Golden Boot again and finishing 4th in the Ballon d'Or), and Wazza scored 9. In our first 7 seasons, Wazza never outscored me (117 to 80). At that time, I became the second youngest Ballon d'Or winner in history.

Owen won the Ballon d'Or in 2001, becoming the last Briton to receive this prestigious award.

Owen also noted that despite claiming 18 goals in the Premier League at 17, he only scored five goals in the league before his 18th birthday.

Thus, he scored 18 goals in the 1996/97 season, winning his first Golden Boot, but 13 of those goals came after his 18th birthday.

His career gradually came to a close due to injuries, ending with 223 goals in 483 matches, while Rooney scored 313 goals in 764 matches.

“People only remember my late years when I became worse and worse. It's terrible because no one remembers how I was at 10, 12, 15, 18, and possibly until 22”, Owen explained.

Rooney vs Owen until 18 years old

Career Comparison

Here's how Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney's careers looked until 18:

Michael Owen

• Club appearances: 21
• Goals for club: 9
• Assists for club: 5
• National team appearances: 0

Wayne Rooney

• Club appearances: 46
• Goals for club: 9
• Assists for club: 2
• National team appearances: 8

The rivalry between Owen and Rooney continues to be actively discussed not only on sports forums but also on social media. Both players have numerous achievements in their careers, yet many question how they would compare during their youth years. This shows how impressive their performances were and how their sporting journey influenced the development of football culture in Great Britain.