Own goals: the bane of any defender’s existence, the joy of everyone else’s. When that ball is swung into the commentator’s corridor of uncertainty, you can’t blame a defender for sticking out a leg and burying the ball into the back of his own net…but yes you can.
Here are some various records for own goals, their infamous scorers and other riotous events that are worth reading about.
Own Goals: A Brief History, Including Records And Anecdotes
The highest total in a single Premier League season is four, that honor belonging to Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel during the 2013-14 campaign.
The highest career total in the Premier League is 10, a record held by Irishman Richard Dunne.
Jamie Carragher scored seven own goals throughout his 17-year career at Liverpool and managed only three for his own side.
If Shane Duffy is among these records, it's for having the worst week ever. In August of 2016, Duffy played two matches in the space of a week for Blackburn Rovers. In those two matches, Duffy managed to score three own goals and finish it off with a red card.
The most own goals scored in a single match by one individual was recorded by Stan van den Buys, who played his football for Germinal Beerschot in Belgium. His side lost 3-2 to Anderlecht, with Van den Buys scoring all three goals against his own team.
During the 1960-61 Serie A season, Inter Milan defeated Catania 5-0, with Catania scoring on themselves four times.
In 2017, there were scenes of delirium when Javier Mascherano scored his first official goal for Barcelona in 319 games. During that period, he’d managed to score six against his own side.
Javier #Mascherano's first ever goal for @FCBarcelona, after 318 matches!
He's catching up with #Messi, only 504 more to go! pic.twitter.com/BfPvsFPcsd— Rush Football (@RushFootball_) April 27, 2017
The record for most own goals scored in a single match dates back to 2002, in a match that also set the record for the most goals ever scored in single senior game. Madagascar’s Stade Olympique L’Emyrne scored on their own net 149 times in a 149-0 defeat to AS Adema.
Stade Olympique L'Emyrne continued to score on themselves in protest of a refereeing decision that had gone against them.
Related: That Moment When Your Greatest Strike Is An Own Goal
