World Cup own-goal tally nears an unwanted record after 29 matches
The 2026 World Cup is on track to set an unattractive record for own goals after seven have already been scored in the first 29 matches. The latest came when Cameron Burgess put the ball into his own net, giving the United States an early lead against Australia.
That own goal was the seventh of the tournament so far. The current World Cup record is 12 own goals, set at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, so six more would be enough to break it. The article notes that, given the pace of the tournament, it would not be surprising if the record falls.
In the scoring race, Lionel Messi and Jonathan David are the tournament’s joint top scorers with three goals each. But for now, the leading “goalscorer” is own goals.
Burgess has endured repeated misfortune this season. The Australian defender’s strike against his own team was his fourth own goal of the campaign, after he also scored an own goal for Swansea in the Championship.
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