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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Guardian sport

Have any footballers ended their career with more own goals than goals?

Francis Benali, seen here (left) celebrating Southampton’s survival in 1999
Francis Benali, seen here (left) celebrating Southampton’s survival in 1999, scored just once for the Saints and at least two own goals in red and white. Photograph: Action Images/Alex Morton

“How many professional players have ended their senior careers with more own goals than goals for their own team?” wonders Peter Clark.

In the past we’ve looked at the players with the most own goals, but we haven’t looked at those who ended their professional career in debit. “Southampton cult hero Francis Benali scored only one ‘positive’ goal in his career and was legendary for banging in goal-of-the-month contenders at his own end, most notably a bullet header against Oldham in the 1993-94 season,” writes Daz Pearce. We could only find a couple of OGs for Benali, the other being against Manchester United in 1999-2000. But we were unable to find a comprehensive Southampton database, so there’s a chance we’ve missed some beauties.

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