Gary Lineker has heaped praise on Michael Owen following the former England centre-forward's decision to retire at the end of the season.
The current Stoke City frontman will end his career having scored 40 goals for the Three Lions during a 10-year international career.
Discussing the 33-year-old's contribution, Lineker, who scored 48 times in an England shirt, has described Owen as "one of the greatest strikers" to represent his nation.
"He is one of the greatest strikers ever to pull on an England shirt. He was great player, a naturally gifted goalscorer," Lineker told BBC Radio Five Live. "He scored that wonder goal at just 18 and the hat-trick against Germany and there is no question that but for a bad run of injuries, he would have surpassed all England's goalscoring records.
"It is just bad luck to get injuries, but maybe it was the number of big games he played at such a young age. They were few players that blossomed at as young an age as he did."
Owen's last goal for England came during a European Championship qualifier against Russia in 2007.
Liam Apicella
