FIFA World Cup 2026: Own Goals Outshine Players in Scoring Charts

The FIFA World Cup 2026 has seen an unexpected twist with own goals surpassing individual player scores. As the tournament unfolds, four players lead with two goals each, while three own goals have been recorded, highlighting a unique trend in this year's competition. From the US's opening match to Qatar's historic draw, the tournament is filled with surprises. Read on to find out more about these remarkable moments and the implications for the teams involved.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 16, 2026, 23:48 IST

FIFA World Cup 2026 Update

As the FIFA World Cup 2026 progresses, a total of 45 goals have been netted so far. Interestingly, no single player stands out as the top scorer, as the number of own goals has surpassed individual contributions.

Currently, four players—Yasin Ayari from Sweden, Elijah Just from New Zealand, Kai Havertz from Germany, and Folarin Balogun from the United States—each have two goals to their name, leading the scoring. However, the tournament has witnessed three own goals, which outnumber the goals scored by any individual player.

The first own goal occurred during the opening match for the United States against Paraguay on June 12. The US took an early lead in the 7th minute when Christian Pulisic delivered a precise pass to Weston McKennie, resulting in Paraguay's Damian Bobadilla inadvertently scoring an own goal, contributing to a 4-1 victory for the US.

The second own goal was recorded on June 13 in the match between Switzerland and Qatar. Boualem Khoukhi's late header deflected off Swiss defender Miro Muheim, leading to an own goal that allowed Qatar to secure their first-ever FIFA World Cup points in a thrilling 1-1 draw.

On June 15, the third own goal was noted when Egypt's hopes for their first FIFA World Cup win were dashed. Despite a quick goal from Emam Ashour, Romelu Lukaku's entry into the match led to an own goal by Mohamed Hany, resulting in a 1-1 draw against Belgium in Seattle.