Have any footballers ended their career with more own goals than goals? | The Knowledge
The article considers whether any footballers finished their senior careers with more own goals than goals for their own team, highlighting several defenders whose records were in debit. It also notes the limits of the available statistics, which make it difficult to identify a definitive answer.
Examples include Billy Balmer, who scored eight open-play goals for Everton, all in his own net, before scoring a penalty at the correct end in 1899. Sven van Beek had eight own goals and five goals for his team in 193 Eredivisie matches, though he is still playing; Jamie Carragher’s cited record is four goals and seven own goals. The article also asks about the earliest point at which a top-flight team was mathematically unable to win a trophy, citing Derby County’s 2007-08 season.
- Billy Balmer scored eight open-play own goals for Everton.
- Sven van Beek had eight own goals in the Eredivisie.
- Derby County were out of the trophy race by 9 February 2008.
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An own goal is scored when a player puts the ball into their own team’s net, while a goal for their team counts towards their side’s score. Defenders can be more exposed to own goals because they often intervene near their own goal, but career totals depend on which competitions and records are counted.
The question is difficult to settle because historic statistics are incomplete, and some players mentioned are still active. Comparing goals and own goals can show how unusual a record is, but it may not establish who ended a career with more own goals than goals for their team.