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Episode details

Radio 5 Live,13 Mar 2026,49 mins

Rooney Meets: Michael Owen... Who Was Better At 18?

The Wayne Rooney Show

Available for over a year

Wayne Rooney sits down with Michael Owen to look back on two of the most explosive teenage breakthroughs English football has ever seen. At the heart of the conversation is the big debate: who really made the bigger impact at 18? They also discuss whether modern football still allows teenage stars to emerge in the same way, and how today’s forwards, from Erling Haaland to Hugo Ekitike are developing and whether the Frenchman can become truly world class.. Michael and Wayne compare themselves to the young players coming through today, and whether Liverpool on form are the best team in the Premiership and should Michael Carrick get the Manchester United job permanently. They reflect on the pressure of playing for England, the dressing rooms they walked into as teenagers, and the expectations that followed them throughout their careers, from Anfield and Old Trafford to major tournaments with the national team. It’s a frank and entertaining look at two remarkable careers, and the teenage moments that defined them.

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