Speaking to LuckyBlock.com, ex-England, Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle and Real Madrid star Michael Owen breaks down the Three Lions’ clash with Brazil on March 23.
Owen, who was the last Englishman to score against Brazil in a competitive game, believes the 2002 team who beat his team that day are among the greatest ever.
You were the last English player to score against Brazil in a competitive game against a star studded team, were they the best team to have ever won a World Cup?
MO: “I don’t know if the 2002 Brazil team were the best of all time, I mean I’m not old enough to compare and contrast. I reckon Brazil, back in the day of Zico and Pele and all those players, were incredible. I mean growing up myself and watching players like Romario and Bebeto, Brazil have always had great teams.
“That team had Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rivaldo as three of the players that we came up against. They could’ve been it, they could have been the greatest ever, I mean when we’re talking about best teams ever you probably have to narrow it down to Brazil teams.”
Do you think England are ahead of Brazil right now in terms of the quality of the players?
MO: “Possibly, yes. We’ve obviously not lifted a trophy but who does at international level, you just have to go on what you see as well as players you know and have watched.
“For this summer, I can’t see anything bar France or England. I think those two nations are clear of the rest and I’d be surprised if anybody but France or England won Euro 2024.
“In the World Cup you can make a case for England being the best if not the second best team in it, France knocked us out but to anybody that watched the game they would say that England were probably the better team but missed a penalty to take it to extra time.
“I still believe that France are probably the best team in the world, yes it was Argentina that beat them but that could’ve gone anyway that final. I genuinely think that France are probably the best team in the world and that England are second or third at the moment.
“I’m excited about England’s chances, I think the further up the pitch that we get the more exciting that we get. We have got some incredibly talented midfielders and strikers, attacking players.”
You have previously said that you fancied Marcus Rashford to get into the England side, but with the form of Phil Foden, do you think that he has to start ahead of him?
MO: “100% Foden has to start in my eyes. But as things stand, and obviously this is open to change because we are still well off, but the problem is that Gareth Southgate loves playing two holding midfielders.
“Rice, Phillips, Rice and Henderson, but in my opinion that is too safe and too negative. In my opinion, and look at teams like Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal, they rarely play with two number sixes.
“If I was Gareth Southgate I’d play Rice on his own there and play Bellingham and Foden ahead of him. I would have Saka on the right and personally I’d have Rashford on the left with Harry Kane up front.
“If we don’t have someone like Rashford, then I don’t think we have masses and masses of pace to frighten the life out of anyone. I think when you have a combination of the likes of Bellingham, Foden and Saka and then you have the raw pace of Rashford, teams won’t know whether they are coming or going.
“You won’t be able to defend for pace or against pockets. To defend against pockets you have got to play a couple of tight lines, which then gives space in behind unless you’re playing very very deep and then you’re just going to be playing into England’s hands in many ways.
“So it’s lovely to have a combination of pace and skill and I think with Rashford in there we certainly tick a massive box of having pace. Alternatives, who have we got? If we play two sixes then it takes away one of our top players and I think it’s overkill.
“If we play one six, then other people to consider are the likes of Jack Grealish, who is injured at the moment, we’ve got James Maddison at Tottenham who needs a shout, we’ve got Cole Palmer at Chelsea who I’m a massive fan of and who could be a late arrival into the team, but I think of all these options, we get more in the team when we play one six which is what I would do.
“And at the moment I’d be playing Rashford on the left and keeping an eye on Cole Palmer. So Saka on the right, Foden as the 10, Rashford on the left with Kane up front and Bellingham and Rice in midfield.”
