Michael Owen joins a prestigious list as the sixth British player to be named European Footballer of the Year.
At the age of 22 he now stands alongside the likes of Stanley Matthews and Bobby Charlton in the history of British football.
There have been few dissenting voices regarding Owen's selection as the best in Europe this year - a stunning run of form has seen him lay waste to defences at both club and international level.
The hat-trick against Germany in September certainly took on historic proportions and he will head to next summer's World Cup finals as one of the players expected to shine.
But for all that, is a player who has yet to win a domestic championship or an international tournament ready to be compared with five of the all-time greats?
BBC Sport Online takes a look at how his predecessors shape up.
Matthews enjoyed his best days with Blackpool
|
1956 - Stanley Matthews, Blackpool and England
Unlike Owen, Matthews was more of a creator than a scorer of goals from his position at outside-right. An extraordinarily accurate passer with excellent balance and a lightning burst of speed, he had an even calmer temperament than the Liverpool striker.
Matthews became a true legend of the game in a career that lasted an incredible 34 years. In that time he won 56 England caps - a mark that Owen will surely overtake.
Law made an immediate impact at United
|
1964 - Denis Law, Manchester United and Scotland
A predatory goalscorer like Owen, the Scot announced himself on the top flight with a goal seven minutes into his United debut against West Brom in 1962. Even Owen would struggle to match Law's goalscoring tally of 30 goals in 30 games in the 1963-64 season.
That saw him named European Footballer of the Year at the age of 24. Championship winners medals followed in the next two seasons and he left Old Trafford in 1973 with a record of 236 goals for United in 409 games.
Charlton was the dominant figure for club and country
|
1966 - Bobby Charlton, Manchester United and England
If Owen can outdo the achievements of the Manchester United and England legend he will become the biggest ever name in English football. Charlton was a more deep-lying player than Owen and could dominate a match from the centre of the field with his passing.
But he was always likely to score himself and possessed one of the most powerful shots ever seen, making him a major threat from long distance. Owen may struggle to match Charlton's collection of medals, but the England goalscoring record of 49 is a real possibility.
Best and United declined in the 1970s
|
1968 - George Best, Manchester United and Northern Ireland
No one could ever accuse George Best of not being a natural finisher - everything he did on a football pitch appeared natural. Best had arguably more ability than any other British footballer. He was equally skilful with either foot, devastatingly quick over short distances, beautifully balanced, and able to hit long and short passes.
He won everything he could with United in a short space of time, but the feeling has always lingered that he wasted his talent - something the diligent Owen is unlikely to be accused of.
Keegan remains a hero with Hamburg fans
|
1978/1979 - Kevin Keegan, SV Hamburg and England
After winning three championships and a European Cup with Liverpool, it was not until he joined German side Hamburg that Keegan was named Europe's top player. He has always admitted that he was not the most natural player but his work-rate set him apart.
Keegan was not as prolific as Owen but he was a major influence on every match, never more so than with Hamburg. He helped the Bundesliga club to a championship, a cup victory and a European Cup final appearance in two years, but never shone for England in a major competition.
Owen and Co
SPORTS TALK
E-mail this story to a friend