INTRODUCTION

Michael Owen refuses to be drawn on the vices that will convince the world that he is not as squeaky clean as his popular image suggests. "If you give a chink of light it will be blown out of all proportion," he smiles mischievously, sitting in the spacious living room of his new home in a fashionable suburb of Madrid. Ever since he made his mark at the 1998 World Cup by scoring a wonder goal against Argentina, he has established himself not only as one of our most gifted players but as Liverpool’s clean-cut lad whose exemplary lifestyle is the antithesis of what we have come to expect of the average footballer.

His love life has never been emblazoned across the tabloids because he has been happy in his relationship with fiancée Louise Bonsall since they got together some eight years ago, after first meeting at primary school. And he has never been photographed the worse for wear staggering out of nightclubs because he hardly drinks, apart from the occasional pint with close friends at his local in North Wales or at a club social. Even the sensational claims following the World Cup in 2002 that Michael had a serious gambling problem, spanning two years, have been proved hugely exaggerated. In retrospect, Michael, 25, now reveals, he was relieved not to be perceived as Mr Clean for a change. "I’m not a bad lad but I do have a life," he protests. It is down to his good sense, family and the stability he found with Louise at such a young age that he has been able to avoid the temptations that have hampered the careers of so many young footballers.

He is so devoted to his family, in fact, that he famously bought a whole street of houses for them early on in his career. And he largely credits his father, who was a journeyman striker in the old Third and Fourth divisions, for his success. Michael constantly draws on the example of his parents, Terry and Janette, and the stable environment in which he grew up, as a point of reference as he makes his way in life. They are poised to celebrate 35 years of marriage, and there is little doubt that Michael won’t settle for anything less when he marries Louise in the summer. The couple already have an adorable little girl, Gemma Rose Owen, who was born on 1 May 2003 and who is clearly the apple of her father’s eye. Events threatened to upset his happy home in January this year, however, when Louise was thrown from her horse and suffered such extensive injuries that Michael feared she would be paralysed for life. The relief he felt on her remarkable recovery and the joy of proposing to her on Valentine’s Day, her 24th birthday, were overshadowed the following month when news broke that Michael Flynn, an interior designer who had worked on their mansion near Mold in Clwyd had been found dead. He had taken an overdose some time after Michael had discovered he had apparently been using Michael’s money for his own ends. Nobody could have foreseen such a tragedy.

It was certainly a more mature Michael Owen who announced that he would be leaving Liverpool and joining David Beckham (and, later, Jonathan Woodgate) at Real Madrid in August. He and Louise had only been in the house in La Moraleja a short time when we arrived for this photo shoot. "It is slowly beginning to feel like home," sighs Louise, who is constantly jumping up to stop Gemma from forcing plastic objects into the state-of- the-art DVD player. "The biggest issue was finding a place we could call home. We have already noticed the change in Gemma, and seeing her happy lifts our spirits."

Have you found it difficult settling down to your new life in Madrid?

Michael: "Yes, for the simple reason that it took us three months to find a home. We were in a nice hotel but when you have a small daughter who is used to spending most of her time running around outside, it is difficult to stay in a confined space for such a long period. The upside is that we have been forced to get out and about and explore Madrid. We have seen all the sights and know every available green space. It has been difficult adapting to the timetable, though – restaurants don’t open until nine o’clock, just as we are pretty much going to bed."

What was the motivation behind taking the job at Real Madrid?

"Real Madrid is the biggest team in the world and it was an opportunity I couldn’t miss. There were pros and cons to uprooting our family and moving to a new country where I didn’t speak a word of the language but I knew if I didn’t take up their offer I would live to regret it. Having Louise and Gemma with me helped me face the new challenge – if I am happy at home, I am happier in my job. I started off slowly but I knew it would all come right in the end. I didn’t have the opportunity to show what I could do early on but then I scored six goals in seven games and it turned the tide."

Do the English players stick together?

"Not really. Jonathan has been injured since I’ve been here and David had a problem for a month or so with his ribs so I was forced to get talking to the other players. There is a language barrier and it would be easy just to hang out with the English-speaking players but that would be irritating for the others. We must be happy as a team otherwise we are not going to work well on the field so I have made a conscious effort not to gravitate exclusively towards my English colleagues."

Are you close to David and Victoria Beckham?

"I am much closer to David now because we see each other every day. We are good friends but we haven’t seen a lot of them socially. We have had dinner with them and been round for Sunday lunch but, generally, as soon as we have finished training we go home. David has been very supportive and it is reassuring to know that if I am ever unsure about anything there is someone I can talk to."

Louise, has Victoria been supportive to you?

Louise: "Victoria has been great. I talk to her a lot. She often rings and asks how we are settling down. She and David have been through it and she understands what we are going through. She has been advising me on nurseries and schools and has been telling me which shops to go to and where to get my nails done. I haven’t been out shopping with her – Michael thinks I spend enough already! And the children seem to get along, too. Gemma plays very well with Romeo and Brooklyn is lovely with her."

So she isn’t as unapproachable as the press would have us believe?

"I have never found Victoria to be unapproachable. She has only ever been lovely to me. There was a lot written about the girls not getting on in Sardinia before Euro 2004 but it really isn’t true. We were sitting around the swimming pool reading these articles and laughing."

Louise, who are you friendly with in football circles?

"I am very friendly with Frank Lampard’s fiancée Elen Rives, who is from Barcelona. A lot of the girls, like Jamie Redknapp’s wife Louise, Danny Murphy’s wife Joanna Taylor and Jonathan Woodgate’s girlfriend Kate Lawler are in the public eye but we still have things in common. I like people for what they are like, not because of what they do for a living."

Gemma is 19 months. How has she changed your life?

M: "Gemma has brought more purpose to everything. People think because you are a footballer you wake up every day and feel excited. It’s a great job – but it is a job at the end of the day. Of course I want to be successful so Gemma will be proud of me, but if I am down because I’ve played badly or haven’t scored a goal, I take one look at her face and my spirits lift. She is definitely a daddy’s girl and I find it harder and harder to say goodbye."

Is Michael a hands-on father, Louise?

"Well, he doesn’t change the nappies but, yes, he is a fantastic father. I am the one who gets up in the middle of the night if Gemma wakes up. That is the way it has been since she was born as Michael can’t afford to go to work exhausted after a sleepless night. I am thinking about sending her to a nursery now that she is looking to interact with other children. They do have English speaking ones here but I quite like the idea of a Spanish one – it would be wonderful for her to pick up Spanish at this age."

How long have you been together?

L: "Our families lived on the same estate in Hawarden, North Wales, and we went to the same primary school. I always knew he was the one for me but it wasn’t until he came back from Lilleshall football academy in Shropshire, when we were 17, that we got together. Before then our relationship consisted of the odd game of kiss-chase!"

Michael, how did you ask her out?

"Through my mate. I am a coward, I’m afraid."

L: "We were at the local pub and Michael sent his friend over. We have been together ever since. We have never split up."

M: "We do argue but it is never about anything serious because, basically, we have grown up together and we have the same outlook on life."

L: "Michael knows what makes me tick and vice versa. We get on so well because we are totally in tune with each other. We know what the other is thinking."

Are you bothered by the female attention Michael attracts, Louise?

"I used to mind but Michael has never been the type to go out nightclubbing and he has never given me any reason to doubt him as far as other women are concerned."

Michael, you’re not the archetypal womanising football player. How have you been able to avoid the temptations?

"If you want it you can find it, but I am not comfortable with that sort of attention and I don’t like it if girls are too pushy. There is no right or wrong. Footballers have responsibilities but they are normal people. I simply don’t get my kicks from going out and pulling a girl. I prefer other things."

You never felt settled too early?

"Settling down has turned out to be the right thing for me. We knew each other when we were children and this has worked for me."

L: "At the end of the day, the whole point of going out with different people is to find the one you want to share your life with. It just so happened that we found each other early on."

Why didn’t you get married?

M: "There never seemed any rush.

When you are sure about each other you don’t have to shout it from the rooftops - so why now?

"Gemma has made it the right time. We want to be one family – all Owens – and make it official."

How did you propose?

"Nothing exciting. I am not the romantic type. I gave her a ring on the morning of her birthday. I had planned to give it to her over dinner that evening but she was so excited she couldn’t wait."

L: "Michael isn’t one for buying me flowers or chocolates. Sometimes I wish he was a bit more demonstrative but I know he wouldn’t feel comfortable and it wouldn’t be natural. Anyway, I am happy with the way he is. If he started sending me flowers now I would wonder what he had done!"

What sort of wedding are you planning?

L: "I have had an image in my head of how I would look on my wedding day since I was 16, so I know exactly what sort of dress I want and I have chosen a local (British) designer."

Michael proposed soon after you came home from the hospital following your riding accident last January. How serious was it?

"I could have been paralysed and in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I broke 14 bones in my pelvis, hip and back but they hadn’t displaced so I didn’t need surgery – it was a case of lying still and allowing them to bond together again. I was in hospital for a month and Michael brought Gemma in every day. The hardest part was not being able to look after her, but then I imagined how much worse it would have been if I had been paralysed and couldn’t run around with Gemma and be the mother I am now."

M: "Louise’s accident was a wake-up call and you need that once in a while to make you realise how lucky you are."

Were you concerned it might affect your ability to have more children?

M: "That was the first thing we checked and it was a huge relief when they told us it shouldn’t have any impact on that."

Do you hope the next one is a boy?

"I really didn’t mind with Gemma but I would really love a boy next time. He wouldn’t have to be a footballer but I would like to think that he – and Gemma – would be the top of the tree in some way or in some sport. Gemma is already showing signs of being competitive. She’s like me."

Louise, have you ridden since the accident?

"Initially, I vowed I would never ride again. The doctors said I could ride by July but I was back on my horse Isabelle by the end of April."

M: "I laughed when she said she would never ride again. I remember when I received a horrendous head injury during a game against Derby in October 2001. I thought I was going to die. You could see through to my skull and I had to have 13 stitches. I was so concussed I didn’t even know my mum’s name and I vowed I would never play football again. I didn’t play for about a month, but if you love something you have to do it."

Who’s looking after your horses now?

L: "I considered bringing them with us but we have a groom who looks after them the same as when we are there and I will try to get back for a week every month when Michael is away for consecutive games."

Do you worry that moving to Spain will upset your relationship the way it did with David and Victoria?

M: "Football is a tough business. It’s the most competitive sport in the world and a lot of money is at stake so I can’t afford to agonise over whether my job is going to endanger my relationship. I don’t ever doubt that we will be able to deal with any changes – it wouldn’t be a very strong partnership if we couldn’t. We are in a completely different situation to David and Victoria. Victoria is a well-known personality in her own right. The best thing about us is that I make every career decision safe in the knowledge that Louise will always be there. I probably take that for granted but looking back now I thank God that I met Louise so early on because I haven’t been tempted to do anything that could distract me."

How do you look back on the gambling revelations?

"It doesn’t really bother me. I know the truth. If I were gambling my life away then I would have a problem, but I don’t. Betting on the horses isn’t illegal so I haven’t committed any crime. I still like to bet on horses but I don’t like that half as much as I enjoy watching horses – they are a huge part of our life. Racing and gambling go hand in hand. If my favourite golfer is playing golf I will bet on him to win a tournament. I have no problem with gambling and I don’t see why I shouldn’t continue to enjoy it."

Why do you enjoy it?

"It appeals to my competitive side. I need the buzz of being competitive every minute of the day. When I was younger my dad used to take me to the snooker hall a lot because I needed the thrill of potting a black even if I was only winning 50p off my dad. I have been playing competitive football since I was a boy so I have been trained and bred to win – you can’t just switch that off. So out of season, when there is no competitive edge, I will get a bit snappy."

Do you understand that people were shocked by the huge amounts of money involved?

"The amounts were grossly exaggerated. I have been brought up to understand the value of money and as long as I am doing it sensibly and I am not throwing everything away, I don’t think I have anything to worry about."

Louise, are you competitive?

"I am, but not to the extent that Michael is. I don’t think we would work as a couple if I were. There isn’t room enough for two people as competitive as Michael."

M: "It’s true. The only time we argue is when Louise stands her ground."

Are you relieved that those stories challenged your Mr Clean image?

M: "Yes, in a way, because I have my flaws and vices just like anyone else. Other players take the mickey out of me because of this whiter-than-white image. I haven’t set out to make myself look squeaky clean but people jump to that conclusion because they don’t read scandals about me. I probably am a good boy compared to some of the lads but I can be as mischievous as the next person and I can be a moody so-and-so, especially when I’m not playing."

L: "We have most of our petty arguments at the end of the football season when there is no release for his pent-up competitive energy."

What do you think of Wayne Rooney?

M: "I like Wayne a lot. People constantly comment on his volatile nature but maybe he wouldn’t be such a good player if he didn’t have that aggressive edge to his character."

Is fame the biggest downside to the job?

"I don’t enjoy fame. You can write anything you want about my football but it is unpleasant when things are exaggerated about me and my family off the field. One of the advantages of being in Madrid is that the frenzy is all focused on the football."

L: "For me it is lovely because we can do normal things in Madrid. Back home there were times when I wished we could do ordinary things like go clothes shopping or out for lunch but we never did because people wouldn’t leave Michael alone – he couldn’t even go to the supermarket. We are beginning to become more relaxed about the fame thing as we get older but we’ll never be the kind of people who turn up at all the parties and film premieres because that just isn’t who we are."

So you don’t envy David Beckham’s fame then?

M: "When I see him being followed by four or five cars full of photographers, I am grateful that it is him and not me. But he is married to a very famous person as well and they are famous as a couple. I am going to marry a girl who isn’t famous so there isn’t much fascination about us as a couple, which suits me down to the ground."

One of the downsides to fame is that people will try to rip you off. In your case there were tragic consequences when your builder Michael Flynn committed suicide after you took him to court.

"It was very regrettable because it was never meant to end with him committing suicide. It was never meant to be about life and death."

Has it made you cynical about people?

"I only really totally trust my family and close friends and it is difficult for people to win my confidence. But in certain instances, like when you are building a big house, you have to put your trust in other people because you can’t do it yourself."

How do you see life after football?

"There are a few options: media work, managing a football team or breeding horses. These are my passions in life. I’d say being a manager is third on my list. I like the idea of training an athlete to perform on the big stage and I like the idea of horse racing – especially as they can’t answer back!"

Will you have any say in that decision, Louise?

"I would never put my foot down because, ultimately, Michael has got to do what makes him happy. When his career comes to an end, it will be very hard for him to let go of football because he has lived and breathed it since he was a child, so if he wanted to be a manager I would understand. But it would still entail long periods away from home and that’s not a prospect Michael relishes. I would prefer that he did something with horses because we can do it together."

Don’t you ever feel second best to football?

"People often ask that but I actually feel very important in our relationship and I feel I have played a significant role in creating a steady routine and a settled life in which Michael can thrive and be successful. All Michael needs to do is go off and worry about playing football. Everything else is taken care of for him so I don’t ever feel left out or undervalued. I am happy with our life and I wouldn’t change anything."

What are you doing for Christmas and New Year?

M: "This will be the first Christmas and New Year’s Eve I will have at home since I was 16. Players get a winter break on the continent – unlike in Britain. Normally, I am either travelling or in a hotel, but this year I have a whole week at our house in Cheshire and I can’t wait."