Who's Better at 17? Rooney's Sharp Comeback to Owen That Still Stings

Historical clash of two English legends

Wayne Rooney, now 39, delivered a sharp, humorous response to Michael Owen on the flagship football show Match of the Day, rekindling the old debate over who shone brighter in their teenage years. The two legends, who both wore England shirts and shared a spell at Manchester United, remain central figures in English football lore.

Early prodigies and later careers

Owen, now 45, highlighted his numbers from age 17 to 18, claiming a rapid ascent and multiple Golden Boots, while Rooney's own early promise was equally loud but took a different path, with injuries later tempering the pace of his early rise. In the online post about teenage benchmarks, Owen boasted of 18 league goals at 17 and 18 at 18, and Rooney replied with his own stats, noting persistent performances and a later shift in form.

Record contrasts and reflections

The discussion also touched on the broader Premier League milestone of 100 goal contributions. Owen reached 100 in 153 games at age 22 years 57 days, while Rooney needed 187 games to reach that mark at 22 years 122 days. Rooney also remains Manchester United's all-time top scorer, with 253 goals in 559 appearances, and England's second-highest scorer with 53 in 120 matches. Owen, meanwhile, has had a career that included title-winning moments, but now often evokes nostalgia for his younger prodigious years.

Rooney's career arc and Owen's reflections

Rooney's journey took him from Everton's academy to United's ranks in 2004 for around 27 million pounds, where he helped a modern golden era capture multiple Premier League titles and a Champions League triumph in 2008. After United, he returned briefly to Everton, then moved to MLS with DC United before turning to coaching stints at Derby County and Birmingham City. Owen's pain lies in how easily the early peak is remembered while the later years fade; he has spoken about the struggle of being recalled mainly for the decline rather than the breakout teenage years.

In sum, both Rooney and Owen left indelible marks on English football, and the debate over who was better at 17 may never be settled. But Rooney's all-time records and longevity often dwarf the early bragging rights, while Owen's early brilliance remains a golden window into a remarkable generation.

Punchline 1: If teenage prodigies had as much patience as a group stage, we'd still be arguing about who slept less—teenage me or teenage Rooney.
Punchline 2: And if the Golden Boot were awarded for resilience, you'd need a GPS to track Owen's return to form; but in the end, it's Rooney who kept scoring the jokes and the goals.