In brief
England’s center-forward position has always been highly competitive, especially in the country’s recent past.
Since their prime years coincided, players like Teddy Sheringham, Michael Owen, and Alan Shearer fought for opportunities against one another.
Despite just earning 26 caps during his career, Robbie Fowler once declared himself to be among the world’s top attackers.
It has never been simple for an English striker to make the national squad. From the period of Alan Shearer, Michael Owen, and Teddy Sheringham to the World Cup-winning days of Geoff Hurst and Jimmy Greaves, each generation has possessed an embarrassment of wealth up front. More lately, up-and-coming players like Ollie Watkins have challenged Harry Kane for a spot in the team.
Due to intense competition, some people have never been able to rely solely on talent to secure a lengthy international career. When it came to wearing the Three Lions shirt, even those who were able to outscore their opponents in club football occasionally found themselves on the outside looking in. According to one striker in particular, he was superior to several of his more well-known peers.
Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler only got 26 caps for his country, many fewer than his fellow countrymen, despite his deadly finishing and goal record. Although he was clearly a club favourite, he was unable to duplicate same level of consistency for his nation.
Fowler: ‘I was better than Michael Owen’
The ex-Reds forward was 63 caps short of his compatriot
Speaking candidly about his old Anfield teammate, Fowler insisted that he was superior to Michael Owen in “every aspect of being a striker” during an interview with the Up Front podcast. He stated:
To be honest, I’ve always believed that I was superior to Michael Owen. He was faster than me, but I honestly believe I was superior to him in every other aspect of being a striker. He may argue that I was superior in every way as a striker, but it is simply my belief and my confidence.
“I wanted to play, of course, but I didn’t want him to fail. While I thought more of Liverpool than England, I believe Michael simply thought more of England than his club.
Owen, one of just four English players to win the Ballon d’Or, is one of the greatest attackers in Premier League history. He accomplished nearly everything at the club level, but like many others in his nation’s recent history, he just missed out on worldwide recognition.
However, Owen and Fowler differed in that the former had several chances to wear the Three Lions badge. He scored 40 goals and had 89 caps total. In addition, the two scored 13 goals together while playing together for England and Liverpool in 99 games.
Fowler Backed Himself Over Shearer, Sheringham and More
The Englishman felt he was once the best striker in the country
The employers at the time had an abundance of options because a large percentage of the elite group of attackers who were torturing defences in Fowler’s day were from England. In the 1990s, players like Ian Wright and Teddy Sheringham were fighting for spots in the Premier League Golden Boot races, but Alan Shearer and Michael Owen dominated the rankings.
For a while, Fowler was the best striker on the planet, as he admitted that he believed he was superior to all four of the previously stated players and more. He stated:
Before I was called up to England, I had scored around 100 goals, which is remarkable in my opinion. With the way I was playing at the time, I would have been in the England squad right now.
“I honestly believe that I am better than all of England’s players, including Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham, Ian Wright, Les Ferdinand, and Andy Cole. At that point, I was arguably the best goal scorer.
Career Statistics: Robbie Fowler vs. English Strikers
Metric
The Fowler
Owen
The Shearer
The Sheringham
Wright
Ferdinand
Cole
Looks
572
483
726
711
441
505
599
Objectives
248
223
374
266
241
207
264
Helps
67
58
93
101
33
57
103
Caps for the Nation
26
89
63
51
33
17
15.
National Objectives
7.
40
30
11.
9.
5.
One
Boots of gold
One
2.
6.
One
2.
0
One
Fowler’s Career in England Did Not Live Up to Expectations
He struggled to replicate his influence at club
In a friendly match against Bulgaria in 1996, Fowler made his Three Lions debut as a substitute. He later made 26 appearances overall, with three assists and seven goals.
The former Manchester City star only made two off-the-field appearances during England’s 1996 Euro campaign, playing a sparse part in his debut national tournament. Despite being included in the squad, he was unable to play in the Euros 2000 as his country was eliminated early in the group stages, and he missed the 1998 World Cup because of injuries sustained during the build-up.
Fowler was included in the squad once again later in the 2002 World Cup, although he only made one substitute appearance in the Round of 16, which ended up being his final cap.
Fowler, who is regarded as one of Liverpool’s finest players ever, was a fan favourite for the club in sharp contrast to his national career. With 183 goals in 369 games, he is eighth in the Reds’ all-time top-scorer standings. He helped the team win the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup in 2001. If he had played more for England during his prime, perhaps history would have turned out differently.
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