India, Oct. 12 -- Former England footballer Michael Owen swapped his football boots for festive warmth as he posed for a special Diwali shoot with us on his recent visit to Mumbai. The 44-year-old was in India to promote the English Premier League, in which he has played for clubs including Liverpool, Newcastle United and Manchester United. "It was a lovely experience for me to light the diyas," he gushes, adding, "When you're playing, you don't tend to explore much; you go straight from the hotel to the stadium and back. But now that I've retired, I can spend a bit more time in places. It's really interesting to see the culture, taste the food." The Mumbai leg of his tour was not limited to festivities, but was a chance to witness first-hand how deeply India connects with football, playing rounds with young footballers, and even meeting cricketer Sanju Samson: "I knew there were a lot of fans here in India and it certainly hasn't disappointed. It's been a great trip with lots of football fans that we've met and spoken to and shared experiences with." Having spent decades in and around the Premier League, Michael feels the modern fan is more engaged than ever. "It's just been good talking about football with passionate people. Lots of Manchester United fans remember my goal against City, and England fans talk about the Argentina goal from the '98 World Cup. Thankfully, I've played for clubs of which people have fond memories, so there's always something for everyone to talk about," he shares. As for what keeps the Premiere League ahead of the curve, Michael sums it up: "It's very inclusive. Players from over 120 countries have represented it. We like our football fast and free-flowing, physical and competitive. When you have the best league in the world, the best players want to play in it."...