Sid Lowe on the campaign to have Spain captain Iker Casillas named European Footballer of the Year

Still seething at the "injustice" visited upon Raúl in 2001, the Madrid press are demanding that Iker Casillas be crowned European Footballer of the Year Can this man become the first Spain player since 1960 to win the Ballón d'Or? Photograph: M Egerton/PA An apologetic smile came across Michael Owen's face and he lowered his voice like a man who'd crept into a confessional and pulled back the grate, ready to reveal his sin. "At the time," he admitted, Spanish obsession with "I didn't realise it was a big deal". "It" being the Ballón d'Or, the European Footballer of the Year award he won in 2001. "Gérard Houllier was a bit put out by the fact that I wasn't punching the air and going hysterical," the striker said a little sheepishly, "he kept on going to me: 'Don't you realise what this means?!'." Owen might have become the... [read full story]