KUALA LUMPUR – Football fans were overjoyed when English Premier League legend Michael Owen arrived for a meet-and-greet event today at Aeon Mall Ipoh Station 18.
The event, organised by Aeon Mall Malaysia, allowed fans to meet the former footballer, with lucky shoppers who spent at least RM600 standing a chance of winning a private dinner with him.
In a TikTok post, the former English forward, who plied his trade with some of the best clubs in the world, was seen warmly greeting hundreds of fans gathered at the mall.
However, the 44-year-old’s arrival did not sit well with certain quarters of Liverpool fans on X, who labelled him as “Judas”.
Owen, who played for Liverpool FC from 1996 to 2004 and scored 118 goals in 216 appearances for the Merseyside club, was subjected to controversy after joining Manchester United FC in 2009 under Sir Alex Ferguson, a move that earned him widespread criticism from Liverpool supporters.
“Seems like he’s trying hard to be known by fans,” @hariz_at commented.
“The Judas was here,” said @muhammadzikree.
“Owen is a player that even Man United and Liverpool fans will not like,” said @tubes1210.
“If Owen had arrived at the mall without a bodyguard, for sure no one would have been bothered about him,” said @MukhtarLiza.
Meanwhile, some netizens humorously suggested that Owen should try Ipoh’s famous nasi kandar cuisine.
“If the organisers take him to Nasi Kandar Vanggey in Ipoh, Owen will definitely lose his way back,” said @apanakdikato.
“Someone give him a Spritzer water bottle,” said @ongmichael.
Renowned for his speed and goal-scoring prowess, Owen also played for Real Madrid, Newcastle United, and Stoke City and represented England 89 times, scoring 40 goals.
He shared his career alongside other legendary players, such as David Beckham and Thierry Henry.
Owen was Liverpool’s top goal-scorer in the 2000-2001 season, contributing to their treble: the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the UEFA Cup victory.
That year, he also won the prestigious Ballon d’Or, becoming the first English player to do so since Kevin Keegan.
On the international stage, Owen made his debut for England in 1998 and became renowned for his memorable goal against Argentina in the World Cup, which remains one of the tournament’s greatest moments.
He went on to represent England in three World Cups and two European Championships. – June 29, 2024