The 'Wayne Rooney' Euros, 20 years ago

Yes, that I don't understand.

 

Completely agree with this

 

But we are talking about for England, not a World Cup all time great. So in the context of England he is. Others have done more I'm not saying he's the greatest but he's done a lot. I think a lot of this comes from people's frustration that he didn't do more.

 

Yeah I take the point. I think it was the difference between his club and England finals performances over the years that informed my view. I take the point that if his club career hadn't hit the heights it did I'd probably look on his England career more favourably because there wouldn't be that contrast.

 

Which was the Michael Owen tournament? I seem to remember him destroying every team we played against

 

Ronaldo is 8 months older.

 

WC 1998 was his breakthrough tournament. But he didn't destroy every team. First 2 group games he came off bench, scored against Romania, started the last group game against Colombia (didn't score), and then started against Argentina and scored that great goal.

2002 and 2006 he was very meh.

 

Just watched that goal back after reading this, I mean it was a great goal but in my memory it was a lot better. A remember him beating half the team, the reality is rather different.
His pace was sensational, never the same player after injuries as losing some of that pace.
He was devastatingly good for a few years though.

 

I am sure he scored about 50 goals for England….now if that’s a poor career I will stand foooking

 

Shows how memories can play tricks on you. I could have sworn he had a competition where he was unbeatable.

 

It's weird how Michael Owen had almost become the forgotten man in '04 and '06, as Rooney was now on the scene.
But again though, the Qtrs was our limit in those days, and we didn't even make it to '08.

 

Wayne didn't do himself any favours though did he, in the later years of his career.
And I remember in World cup '10, he went off the field slagging off our fans, because they were booing a 0-0 draw with Algeria (after we'd also only drew 1-1 with US/America).

 

Owen's best tournament was 2002. Won the penalty v Argentina in the group stage, scored v Denmark in the last 16 and scored v Brazil in the last 8.

 

Err yeah that's what I was saying in the first place, and it's why I started this thread.