Exclusive ‘It should have been joy': Liverpool legend Michael Owen reacts to car ramming incident

Al Arabiya

2 days ago

What was meant to be a day of celebration for Liverpool Football Club turned into a scene of chaos and heartbreak, as a car was driven into crowds during a victory parade, leaving dozens injured and a city in shock.
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In an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya English, Liverpool-born football legend Michael Owen reflected on the emotional toll the incident has taken on his hometown – and how a historic moment was marred by tragedy.
'It should have been a day of celebration,' Owen told presenter Leigh-Ann Gerrans. 'Liverpool have known that they've won the league for some time now… from when it was official against Tottenham Hotspur at home to the lifting of the trophy at Anfield on Sunday. It's been a great moment.'
Seven people remain hospitalized and at least 79 casualties have been identified after a 53-year-old man rammed his vehicle into fans who had gathered to celebrate the club's Premier League title. The suspect remains in custody as police investigations continue.
For many in the city, what was supposed to be a celebration was more than just a football win. It marked the first time in decades that the Premier League trophy could be lifted in front of fans – something denied to supporters during Liverpool's 2020 title win due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
'The Premier League is such a hard league to play in and a hard one to win,' Owen noted. 'It all should have been joy and happiness. Now, that's obviously tainted.'
The former England striker, who grew up in Merseyside and made his name at Anfield, shared how the news hit home – quite literally.
'I had family members that were at the parade,' he said. 'And of course, the first thing you do when you hear about it is you phone them. You want to know that everybody's okay, everybody's safe, and that's a sad thing.'
The attack has evoked painful memories of past tragedies tied to Liverpool's football history – from the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985 to the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989.
'You can't help but think back to other awful situations in Liverpool's past,' Owen said. 'Your mind can't help wondering why. We still sort of await the news really in terms of what exactly happened.'
Despite the sorrow, Owen emphasized Liverpool's long-standing resilience in the face of adversity.
'Liverpool as a city has been so robust over time. They come together,' he said. 'As I've mentioned, two horrific footballing disasters. There was a huge attack as well in the Southport area not so long ago too.'
Reflecting on his own experience participating in a Liverpool victory parade in 2001, Owen said the atmosphere is usually one of unity and elation.
'I was part of a parade when we won all those trophies back in 2001 and it was just the most incredible day,' he recalled. 'I don't think an event like this is going to be stopped in the future because it's such a joyous moment. And most of the time, 99 times out of 100, it goes off really, really peacefully and everybody has a great time.'
As the city comes to terms with the attack, Owen called for vigilance and a renewed commitment to public safety but also urged that joy must not be overshadowed by fear.
'Football plays second fiddle to the health and well-being of the community,' he said.