Own Goals: Rules, Records, and Rare Sporting Blunders
In the world of sports, few moments are as agonizing as the own goal. At its simplest, an own goal occurs when a player accidentally or deliberately scores points for the opposing team. While most commonly associated with football, this phenomenon exists across various disciplines, ranging from the ice rinks of the NHL to the hardwood courts of the NBA.
Beyond the stadium, the term has evolved into a widespread metaphor for any action that backfires on the person undertaking it. In some historical contexts, such as during The Troubles in Belfast, it took on a darker meaning, referring to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that detonated prematurely, killing the handler.
Key Facts
- Association Football: Own goals are recorded in match statistics but do not count toward a player's career goal total.
- Ice Hockey: Goals scored by the defending team are credited to the last attacking player who touched the puck.
- Basketball: In the NBA, a goal scored in the opponent's basket is credited to the closest offensive player.
- American Football: A ball kicked or returned into one's own end zone results in a safety (two points for the opposition).
- Extreme Record: The highest number of own goals in a single match was 149, scored by SO Emyrne as a protest.
Association Football
In association football, an own goal happens when a player puts the ball into their own net. This often occurs when defenders attempt to "turn behind" a dangerous cross—kicking the ball out of play behind the goal line to concede a corner rather than risking a shot. Under pressure, these attempts can inadvertently send the ball into the goal.
According to the Laws of the Game, an own goal cannot be scored directly from most restarts, including throw-ins, goal kicks, corner kicks, and free kicks; in these instances, a corner is awarded to the opposition. While FIFA issued guidelines in 1997 to standardize statistics for commercial reasons, the referee ultimately decides if a defender's intervention was deliberate enough to be credited as an own goal.
Notable Records and Incidents
Irish footballer Richard Dunne holds the record for the most career own goals with 10, while Everton F.C. holds the record for the most as a club. The fastest own goal is attributed to Pat Kruse, who scored just eight seconds into a match in 1977.
Some own goals have had tragic or strategic consequences. Colombian defender Andrés Escobar's own goal in the 1994 World Cup led to his murder ten days later. Conversely, in a 1994 Caribbean Cup match, Barbados deliberately scored an own goal to force extra time, utilizing a tournament rule that would allow them to advance via goal difference.
Own Goals in Other Major Sports
Ice and Field Hockey
In ice hockey, the goal is credited to the last player on the opposing team to touch the puck, as most own goals are deflections. Interestingly, 8 of the 20 goals scored by NHL goaltenders were the result of own goals into an empty net. In field hockey, current rules state that a goal is valid if the ball is played within the circle by an attacker, even if it is subsequently touched or deflected by a defender.
Basketball
When a player accidentally scores in their own basket, the points are awarded to the opposition. The credit varies by league: the NBA credits the closest offensive player, FIBA credits the team captain, and the NCAA uses a footnote in the scorebook without crediting a specific player. In rare cases, teams in the Philippines and Georgia have deliberately scored in the opponent's basket to manipulate point differentials and force overtime.
American and Canadian Football
In American football, a true own goal (kicking the ball through one's own posts) is treated as a safety. Players have occasionally returned fumbles into their own end zone by mistake, such as Roy Riegels in the 1929 Rose Bowl and Jim Marshall in 1964. Strategically, teams like the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens have taken deliberate safeties to manage the game clock or improve field position.
In Canadian football, a scrimmage kick that enters the end zone without being advanced results in a single, worth one point. In the 2017 Grey Cup, the Calgary Stampeders intentionally took a safety to avoid a loss of down deep in their own territory.
Other Sporting Variations
- Gaelic Football: Own goals are rare due to hand control, but "own points" (scoring over the crossbar) do occur, though they are extremely uncommon.
- Hurling: Own goals have been recorded in competitions like the Christy Ring Cup and Lory Meagher Championship.
- Australian Rules Football: Defenders may perform a rushed behind, deliberately conceding one point to prevent the opposition from scoring a six-point goal.
- Cricket: The hit wicket dismissal is considered analogous to an own goal, as the batter eliminates themselves without the opposition's direct involvement.
Summary of Own Goal Rules by Sport
| Sport | Result/Credit | Key Rule/Term |
|---|---|---|
| Association Football | Goal for opposition | Not added to player's career total |
| Ice Hockey | Goal for opposition | Credited to last attacking player |
| Basketball | 2 points for opposition | Varies by league (NBA/FIBA/NCAA) |
| American Football | 2 points for opposition | Safety |
| Australian Rules | 1 point for opposition | Rushed behind |
| Canadian Football | 2 points (Safety) or 1 (Single) | Scrimmage kick rules |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do own goals count toward a soccer player's total goals?
No. While they are recorded in the match statistics with an "(og)" annotation, they are not added to a player's seasonal or career goalscoring totals.
Can a soccer player score an own goal from a throw-in?
No. Under the Laws of the Game, an own goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in; if the ball goes directly into the scoring team's own goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opposition.
What is a "rushed behind" in Australian Rules Football?
A rushed behind is a legitimate defensive play where a defender deliberately concedes a score of one point to prevent the opposing team from scoring a goal worth six points.
How is an own goal credited in the NBA?
In the NBA, if a player scores in their own basket, the goal is credited to the player on the scoring team who was closest to the shooter.
What is the most own goals ever scored in one match?
The record is 149 own goals, scored by SO Emyrne against AS Adema as a form of protest against a refereeing decision.