Steven Gerrard admit player them let go for free is far better than lamine yamal

Steven Gerrard has never been one to hand out praise lightly. As one of the greatest players in Liverpool’s history, a man who wore the captain’s armband with pride and led the club through some of its most dramatic nights, he knows what it takes to be truly exceptional. And yet, in his latest comments after the 2025 Liverpool Legends game at Anfield, he has made a statement that has set the football world talking. Gerrard has boldly claimed that Liverpool once had a teenage talent who, in his eyes, was even better than two of the most hyped young players of the modern era — Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal and global superstar Kylian Mbappé. That player is none other than his former teammate, Michael Owen.

It’s the kind of comparison that will spark debate across generations. Yamal is being talked about as the next big thing in football, a player whose performances for Barcelona and Spain have already made him a household name at just 17. Mbappé, meanwhile, has been a dominant force for years, winning the World Cup at 19 and scoring goals at a rate that has already put him among the all-time greats of his generation. And yet Gerrard, with that familiar confidence in his tone, says that the teenage Michael Owen was on another level.

To understand why Gerrard feels so strongly, you have to rewind to the late 1990s and early 2000s — an era when Owen burst onto the scene with the kind of explosive impact rarely seen in English football. Owen was not just a fast striker; he was lightning. His acceleration over the first few yards left defenders gasping, his finishing was clinical, and his composure in one-on-one situations was almost unnatural for someone so young. By the time he was 18, he was scoring regularly for Liverpool and England, including that famous solo goal against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup — a moment that announced him to the world.

Gerrard himself was still finding his feet at Liverpool when Owen was at his peak. The two shared a dressing room during some of the club’s most successful campaigns, including the famous treble-winning 2000/01 season when Liverpool lifted the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup. That season, Owen scored 24 goals and added seven assists, delivering decisive performances in the biggest games. His brace in the FA Cup final against Arsenal — turning the match around almost single-handedly — remains one of the most iconic individual displays in modern Liverpool history.

Speaking to LFCTV, Gerrard’s admiration for Owen’s teenage talent was obvious. “The other two are chasing the Ballon d’Or, and one’s got one,” he said with a smile, referring to Owen’s 2001 triumph when he became the first — and still only — Liverpool player to win the prestigious award. “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.”

That’s the key point. Gerrard is not dismissing Yamal or Mbappé. In fact, he seems genuinely excited about what the two can achieve in the years to come. But in his eyes, the teenage Owen set a bar that was just as high, if not higher. And perhaps, for Gerrard, there’s an extra layer to that opinion — a personal connection forged through shared victories, mutual respect, and the memory of watching Owen tear defences apart week after week.

Statistically, though, the comparison between Owen, Mbappé, and Yamal is fascinating. Before the age of 22, Mbappé had already recorded a staggering 135 goals and 52 assists across all competitions — numbers that are almost unprecedented in the modern game. Owen’s tally at the same age was 102 goals and 27 assists, still an incredible return, especially considering the more physical and less forgiving nature of English football at the time. Yamal, still at the very start of his career, has so far registered 14 goals and 18 assists — numbers that will surely rise dramatically if his current trajectory continues.

But football is not just about raw statistics. It’s about moments, impact, and the ability to rise when it matters most. And that is where Owen’s teenage years shine brightest. His performances on the biggest stages, from the World Cup to European finals, showed a maturity and composure beyond his years. Winning the Ballon d’Or at just 22 cemented his status as one of the greats, even if his career later took twists and turns that divided opinion among Liverpool fans.

Indeed, Owen remains a complicated figure at Anfield. His decision to join Manchester United later in his career still leaves a bitter taste for some supporters. His outspoken media work has also stirred debate, such as when he publicly defended Trent Alexander-Arnold during criticism from fans after his move to Real Madrid. Yet for Gerrard, none of that overshadows what Owen achieved in those early years. For him, the teenage Owen was a force of nature — a player who could decide games on his own and whose rise was nothing short of meteoric.

It’s also worth noting that Gerrard’s comments come at a time when Liverpool fans are once again dreaming of another generational talent coming through their ranks. Sixteen-year-old Rio Ngumoha has been turning heads with his performances in pre-season, showing a fearlessness and flair that has supporters drawing early comparisons to some of the club’s past greats. While it’s far too early to place him in the same conversation as Owen, Mbappé, or Yamal, the excitement around him hints at the possibility that Liverpool might one day witness another teenage star lighting up Anfield.

Meanwhile, under Arne Slot, Liverpool are building a squad that is being described as one of the best in Premier League history. The recent record-breaking signing of German playmaker Florian Wirtz, beating both Bayern Munich and Manchester City to his signature, has sent a message to the football world that the Reds mean business. The pursuit of Alexander Isak to further strengthen the attack only underlines that intent. For Gerrard, seeing his old club operating with such ambition will be satisfying — but he also knows that true greatness comes from more than just assembling expensive squads. It comes from having players who can seize the moment, just as Owen did in Cardiff in 2001 or in Rome in 1998.

For younger fans who never saw Owen play in his prime, Gerrard’s words might feel like an exaggeration, especially when Mbappé’s and Yamal’s highlight reels are just a click away on YouTube. But those who were there, those who felt the electricity in the air when Owen got on the ball, will understand exactly what Gerrard means. There was a sense of inevitability when Owen burst through on goal — a quiet confidence that he would score. And more often than not, he did.

Football has a way of moving on quickly. New stars emerge, old legends fade into memory, and the debates over “who was better” rage on endlessly. But Gerrard’s tribute to Owen is a reminder that every generation has its own icons, its own moments that feel impossible to replicate. Mbappé and Yamal will write their own chapters in football history, perhaps winning more trophies and breaking more records than Owen ever did. But for Gerrard, and for many who watched Liverpool at the turn of the millennium, the teenage Michael Owen was something unique — a shooting star whose brilliance, for a time, outshone them all.

And maybe that’s the beauty of football. There’s no single metric, no universal formula, to determine who the “best” really is. Sometimes it’s about the numbers, sometimes it’s about the silverware, but often it’s about the feeling — the memories that stay with you long after the final whistle. For Gerrard, those memories are filled with the sight of a young Owen sprinting past defenders, the roar of Anfield in full voice, and the knowledge that in that moment, Liverpool had a teenager the world feared.

If Rio Ngumoha or any other youngster in Liverpool’s current setup can come close to inspiring that same feeling, then perhaps, years from now, another club legend will sit down for an interview and make a similar claim. Until then, the debate Gerrard has reignited will keep fans talking: was Michael Owen really better than Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé as a teenager? For Gerrard, the answer is clear.