Michael Owen fronts PES 08

By Robert Purchese Published 20 July, 2007

A "real coup for Konami".

Konami is boasting this afternoon about signing struggling striker Michael Owen to front Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 in the UK.

He'll be jostling for box position with Premiership player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo when the game launches across Europe this autumn.

"Securing Michael Owen is a real coup for Konami," said Jon Murphy, PES lead at Konami. "Since he burst on to the scene he has proven himself an incredible goal-scorer, netting at every level - both domestic and international. We are delighted to be working alongside such a talent on PES 2008."

Owen was voted European player of the year in 2001, and scored that wonderful goal against Argentina in the World Cup a year later. However, Owen has only recently returned to full fitness after injuries forced him out. Many observers feel he's lost the pace and bite that made him such a clinical goal-poacher to begin with. Tom doesn't though - Tom thinks he should come home to Liverpool. [Come home to Liverpool, Michael! -Tom] See.

Pro Evoultion Soccer 2008 will be on show at this year's Games Convention in Leipzig, where Konami will be offering attendees hands-on time with each version of the game: Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PC, PSP and DS.

New to the series in this instalment is Teamvision, which will enable opponents to learn your tactics and adjust their response accordingly.

Konami is also promising significant next-generation improvements as it finally begins to build the game specifically with the new machines in mind.

Pop over to our Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 gallery to see how it's shaping up.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (39) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Psychotext #1 5 years ago

    "Securing Michael Owen is a real coup for Konami,"

    What? Pay the right sort of money and you'll be able to secure anyone.

  • Huntcjna #2 5 years ago

    Konami blatantly ran out of marketing money on this.

  • tentonipete #3 5 years ago

    i wonder if he lasts a whole match in the game or whether his breaking down with the next injury is an ingame feature.

  • The-Bodybuilder #4 5 years ago

    I heard that immediately after they signed him, he he broke every bone in his lower body.
    Don't really expect him on the cover till pes 2010. At which point he'ss be threatening to go off to FIFA, only for FIFA to not show any interest.

  • MrMarbles #5 5 years ago

    Hello. Wasn't that goal scored in 1998?

    2002 merely saw a rubbish Beckham penalty down the middle. If I recall correctly.

    In other news: PES '08.

    Sneakily edited to cover up my confusion at the year being used in the game's title.
    Edited by MrMarbles at 20/07/07 @ 16:49

  • Redeye #6 5 years ago

    New feature for 2008 - miss a season and rake in the wages, whilst sitting on your arse in the sun somewhere. ;)

  • Killerbee #7 5 years ago

    Pay the right sort of money and you'll be able to secure anyone.

    Exactly. They could've had me for half the price. :(

  • Zomoniac #8 5 years ago

    Hello. Wasn't that goal scored in 1998?

    2002 merely saw a rubbish Beckham penalty down the middle. If I recall correctly.

    Bah. You beat me to it.

  • the_sas_man #9 5 years ago

    They should have got Berbatov, because lets be honest, he is gonna be top scorer next season!

    COYS

  • DanMW #10 5 years ago

    Strange choice, no disrespect to Owen or anything.

  • Yossarian #11 5 years ago

    oh great so now he will be unrealistically good in this game

    same with Ronaldo

  • squarepusher #12 5 years ago

    does it break LOOOOOOOOkthxbyeOOOOOLLLLLLLL

  • squarepusher #13 5 years ago

    btw; was it not painfully obvious to everyone that he was completely bust prior to last years World Cup?

    No-one said anything... against Sweden he goes to pass the ball and all of a sudden he crumples up into a heap and crawls off. Media, pundits and fans were like "welp, that's normal. get wellz soon".

  • SBfistfun #14 5 years ago

    Michael Owen better know as MR Charisma

  • Tweakmonkey #15 5 years ago

    Michael Owen better know as MR Charisma

    lol

  • SomaticSense #16 5 years ago

    "Owen was voted European player of the year in 2001, and scored that wonderful goal against Argentina in the World Cup a year later."

    No.

  • Eighthours #17 5 years ago

    Owen was voted European player of the year in 2001, and scored that wonderful goal against Argentina in the World Cup a year later.

    Error. Error. A Beckham penalty won us that game. You're thinking about the previous 1998 encounter.

  • Feanor #18 5 years ago

    Why not just have Ronaldo on the cover? I thought that was the plan.

  • squarepusher #19 5 years ago

    I'll buy a dozen copies if they put Rooney, Tevez and Campo on the front.

  • kgthatsme #20 5 years ago

    i agree with the Ronaldo on his own idea, after Henry left, i think the rest of the players are not quite at the same level, while players like Bervatov and Tevez play for small clubs.

  • the_sas_man #21 5 years ago

    KGthatsme:i agree with the Ronaldo on his own idea, after Henry left, i think the rest of the players are not quite at the same level, while players like Bervatov and Tevez play for small clubs.
    _______________

    MUST. RESIST. BAIT. MUST.....


    FUCK U U MOFO! Spurs are a big club u goon scum! Spurs for 4th!

    *runs away*

  • Steroyd #22 5 years ago

    *vommit*

  • stephenb #23 5 years ago

    F-E-R-N-A-N-D-O T-O-R-R-E-S ! !

  • Calgon #24 5 years ago

    lol the shame of getting some football trivia wrong(not a football buff myself either... I was thinking that was wrong too when I read it though)... bet he will wish he had checked the comments before going home today when someone tells him on monday.
    Edited by Calgon at 20/07/07 @ 23:16

  • QotSAfan #25 5 years ago

    Should have gotten Fabregas, he's also a better player than Ronaldo who cant show up on the big stage.

  • Sid-Nice #26 5 years ago

    So Konami have picked two players who fall over when no-one is any where near them? In Michael’s defence, he didn't dive and was genuinely injured.

  • shido #27 5 years ago

    Oooh lovely...good to see a toon player on the cover....
    Hopefully he'll get the adrianno treatment....

  • maxx #28 5 years ago

    owen will return to form wait and see this season ;)

  • neosalad #29 5 years ago

    i hope so after all that money the toon paid for him, for him to play about 6 games!!

    It was good to see the article in the indipendant (newspaper) last week where Owen was saying how he was really looking forward to the new season with newcastle, and has been impressed with Big Sam.

  • Huddy #30 5 years ago

    Owen's the doom. He's injured his thigh now, out for a week. :D

  • Dermoth #31 5 years ago

    Why not just be honest and put Adriano on the cover? He's going to be the only player you see in the game, after all.

    (Or, you know, whichever striker turns out to be the new incredibly over-powered online-play-ruining forward in '08. It won't be Owen, surely).

  • konniehuqfan #32 5 years ago

    owen's just not reliable anymore, he breaks down more often than an xbox 360 which is some achievement. :/

  • immateriaux #33 5 years ago

    "Securing Michael Owen is a real coup for Konami," said Jon Murphy, PES lead at Konami. "Since he burst on to the scene he has proven himself an incredible goal-scorer, netting at every level - both domestic and international. We are delighted to be working alongside such a talent on PES 2008."

    Mr Murphy then continued...

    Our game has gone down hill the last two seasons, just like Michael. People are not sure whether we can still perform. Just like Michael. Really, it's just a perfect match. Plus he's cheap now that he's a bit shit. Everyone's a winner .... hey, why's all them people buying fifa08???

  • Fab4 #34 5 years ago

    He plays (when he isnt injured) for Newcastle ffs!! Should have gotten someone like Gattuso or Kaka...or even Fabregas...you know, someone who can actually survive a 90 minute game

  • JayeM #35 5 years ago

    News from some new magazine scans is that they have added diving (sigh) to the game, seems like the choice of cover stars is a bit more fitting now. :)

  • killyourtv #36 5 years ago

    gotta have at least one champion to grace the cover. go ronnie!

  • Dermoth #37 5 years ago

    "News from some new magazine scans is that they have added diving (sigh) to the game"

    Oh god, no. That has the potential to be as bad as the time they added handballs to the game (and then swiftly removed them from the next iteration).

    Dear Konami. Please stop being twats.

  • immateriaux #38 5 years ago

    Konami seem to be on a mission to relegate this game to the bargain bins. Adding "diving" is just another step in that direction

  • crazyhorse174 #39 5 years ago

    owen's just not reliable anymore, he breaks down more often than an xbox 360 which is some achievement. :/

    Speaking of achievments, I hear that one of the 360 achievments will be to actually finish a game with Owen...

    /gets coat...