Scoring a goal in football is the most important part of the sport and is often greeted with an explosion of excitement and happiness by the goal-scorer while the opposition rues their fortune.

However, every once in a while there’s an absolute contrast in the usual emotions that one associates with goals wherein the scorer is completely distraught having put the ball into his own net for an own goal.

Scoring an own goal is one of the most unenviable things to do on a football pitch and something that no player wants to experience over the course of their career.

Netting one goal in your career is bad in itself but scoring multiple times into the back of your own net is perhaps worse and something no individual wants to be associated with.

Hence, it is of little doubt that Richard Dunne won’t be proud to be the record holder for scoring the most own goals in football. 

Dunne along with a select few other players have endured the ignominy of scoring multiple own goals over the course of their career. Here we look at a few of the players who have netted the most own goals in football.

Most own goals in football

Player Own goals
Richard Dunne 10
Franco Baresi 8
Riccardo Ferri 8
Martin Skrtel 7
Jaime Carragher 7
Phil Jagielka 7
Jonny Evans 6
Wes Brown 6
Ryan Shawcross 6
Franck Sinclair 6

Richard Dunne

No player has put the ball into his own net more times than former center-back Richard Dunne. He netted 10 own goals over the course of his career. Having played for teams such as Manchester City, Everton, Aston Villa, and Queens Park Rangers, the Irishman is the individual who has netted the most own goals (10) in the Premier League. A four-time Manchester City Player of the Year, Dunne also won the English First Division title during his time with the Citizens.

Franco Baresi

Italy and AC Milan legend Franco Baresi also features in the second spot on this list. A six-time Scudetto winner and three European Cup winners with Milan, Baresi is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders to have ever graced the game. Unfortunately, even the greats of the game are prone to the occasional slip-up and Baresi was no exception. During his time with Milan, the legendary Italian scored eight own goals while marshaling his teammates from the heart of defence.

Riccardo Ferri

Another Italian great Riccardo Ferri is third on this list having found the back of his own net eight times during his career. He played for Internazionale and Sampdoria over the course of his 15-year career and won the Serie A and Coppa Italia once besides also claiming the UEFA Cup title twice. He also represented the Italian national team more than 40 times, including in UEFA Euros, the FIFA World Cup, and the Summer Olympics.

Photo Credit: Alamy