Sometimes players are so desperate to score a goal that they end up putting the ball into their own net. Although this is hopefully not intentional, you do have to wonder how a professional footballer can be so lacking in talent as to manage this feat, unless the ball has taken an unlucky deflection off him and beaten the goalkeeper.
Pass backs to the keeper or an attempted clearance from a corner are generally the most common forms of scoring an own goal, and the culprit always looks around after the incident to see just how stupid his team mates think he is. After committing such an act, a player wants the ground to swallow him up and spare him further embarrassment, but instead he must soldier on whilst spectators jeer and laugh at his every touch for the remainder of the match.
Sometimes the own goal can be spectacular, worthy of winning any goal of the month competition had it been scored by the attacking team. Other times it is just a ridiculous piece of bad play or misunderstanding between players. Such incidents cannot be foreseen by managers, who struggle enough as it is to keep their emotions in check, let alone contend with one of their own players helping the opposition team.
Not many sports allow for such an occasion; a rugby player can’t score an accidental try against his own team, nor can a basketball player shoot a hoop at the wrong end of the court. However, football has the ability to surprise us every once in a while and fans like a good own goal now and then. Let’s have a look, and laugh, at some of the best, or worst, that have been scored.