Gerrard hails Liverpool former youngster as superior teenage star to Mbappé and Yamal | OneFootball

Liverpool Legend Hails Owen as a Teenage Talent Beyond Mbappé and Yamal

Liverpool’s history is steeped in moments and players who shaped the club’s identity, from the European glory nights to title challenges that lived on in memory. Yet even in an era when the modern game is dominated by prodigies like Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, Steven Gerrard insists he once shared a dressing room with a teenager even more gifted.

Gerrard’s Tribute to a Teenage Sensation

Gerrard, whose career at Anfield yielded 10 major trophies, recalled the unique brilliance of Michael Owen — a teammate during Liverpool’s iconic 2000/01 treble-winning season. That campaign remains etched into club folklore: Owen’s goals firing the Reds to the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup.

Speaking on Owen’s legacy compared to modern-day stars, Gerrard said:

“The other two are chasing the Ballon d’Or, and one’s got one (Owen). So, I think you have to respect the fact that Michael Owen has been voted the best player in the world.I played with him. He was an incredible teenager. So I’d have to say Michael Owen.But what I would say is Mbappé and Lamine Yamal – wow, they’re going to be two incredible players.”

Comparing Owen, Mbappé and Yamal

In pure numbers, Owen’s teenage years were extraordinary. In the 2000/01 season alone, he delivered 24 goals and seven assists, including both strikes in the FA Cup final against Arsenal. His performances earned him the 2001 Ballon d’Or — the only Liverpool player to achieve the award.

Photo IMAGO

By the age of 22, Owen had 102 goals and 27 assists. Mbappé, by the same age, had 135 goals and 52 assists, his career already crowned by a World Cup triumph with France. Yamal, the youngest of the trio, has recorded 14 goals and 18 assists, but boasts a European Championship medal with Spain.

Owen’s Enduring Place in Liverpool’s Story

For all that Mbappé and Yamal have achieved, Owen’s impact on Liverpool cannot be overstated. His pace, instinct and knack for the decisive moment electrified Anfield. While his later career choices divided opinion, Gerrard’s words cut through nostalgia and debate alike — Owen was, in his eyes, a teenage phenomenon.

As Arne Slot’s Liverpool chases another Premier League crown, perhaps the next Michael Owen is already in the making. Sixteen-year-old Rio Ngumoha’s dazzling pre-season hints that Liverpool’s tradition of producing prodigious talents may yet continue.