In an exclusive interview with Indian media Mashable, England star Owen talked about his views on Indian football.
When asked whether Indian players might win the Ballon d'Or in the future, Owen was both hopeful and realistic: "I really look forward to this day. The best thing about the Premier League is that it opens its doors to players from all over the world. Someone told me that Premier League players come from about 12 0 countries, this is great, and this is one of the reasons why the Premier League is loved by fans all over the world, because they can truly feel the tolerance and charm of the Premier League."
Although India also has many passionate fans, their national team has never been able to stand out in the international arena. In this regard, Owen said: "English football has a long history and a deep cultural heritage, and they know how to do it well. I think India is a country that has made extraordinary achievements in many aspects, but this is not the case in the field of football. Indian fans are passionate about football, and the Premier League in India It is also very popular, but the Indian national team still has a lot of room for improvement."
Currently, the Indian men's football team is ranked 126th in the world. In recent years, under the leadership of national team coach Stimach and the development of the Indian Super League (ISL), it has made some progress. However, there are still large gaps in infrastructure construction, grassroots football development and talent discovery. Owen said: "I don't know why, but I have never understood that grassroots football in India has not developed. It stands to reason that with India's population and enthusiasm for football, if it can establish a complete system, it should be able to have a top team. Of course, cricket will always be the number one sport here, but with so many people here loving football, it should be able to produce some world-class stars."