Owen to retire at the end of the season

Michael Owen’s careerLiverpool (1996-2004): 297 games, 158 goals Real Madrid (2004-05): 40 games, 14 goals Newcastle (2005-09): 79 games, 30 goals Man Utd (2009-12): 52 games, 17 goals Stoke (2012-13): 7 games, one goal England (1998-2008): 89 caps, 40 goalsLONDON – Former England striker Michael Owen has announced that he will be retiring from football at the end of the season. Owen, 33, signed for Stoke on a free transfer last summer but has had yet another frustrating season that has been hampered by injury problems, limiting him to just seven appearances for the Potters.The former Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United forward announced the news on his personal website on Tuesday morning. “It is with an immense amount of pride that I am announcing my intention to retire from Professional Football at the end of this season.“Having progressed through the ranks at Liverpool to make my first team debut at 17, before embarking upon spells at Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City, not to mention representing my country on 89 occasions, I now feel it is the right time to bring the curtain down on my career. “I have been very fortunate in that my career has taken me on a journey that like many young players starting out, I could only have dreamt of. Owen first burst onto the scene at the age of 17 for Liverpool in 1997 and went on to have seven successful years at the club. He was part of the side which claimed a Treble of the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup in 2001. That same year he scored hat-trick in England’s 5-1 win over Germany in Munich, and he was awarded for his exploits by winning the Ballon d’Or.Owen moved to Real Madrid in 2004, but after a single season in which he scored 13 goals in 36 Liga appearances he moved to Newcastle. It was at St James’ Park where his fitness problems really began to hamper his career. After four injury-hit seasons he moved onto Manchester United, experiencing similar problems, before eventually being released last summer.He represented England on 89 occasions, scoring 40 goals, but an international career which included his individual wonder goal against Argentina and his treble in Munich never recovered from an injury picked up against Sweden at the 2006 World Cup.

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Owen to retire at the end of the season