Which footballers have scored own goals from further out than Pedri?

“After the own goal in the Spain game being awarded to Pedri, is it the longest-distance own goal on record?” asks Don Berno.

Richard Askham is first to step up to the mic with some tales of Terriers woe. “I recall two own goals by Huddersfield Town midfielders, both from the centre circle, 38 years apart. In May 1980, at Hereford, Town captain Peter Hart sent a soaring backpass over Andy Rankin’s head to equalise for Hereford. Town went on to win 3-1 and confirm their promotion from the fourth division. Town were quite a way behind ‘champions-elect’ Walsall, but overtook them on the final day to win the league.

“Fast forward and Juninho Bacuna was stationed as last man on the halfway line at Stoke in the last seconds of time added in the Carabao Cup match in 2018, with his keeper in the opposition penalty area trying to fashion an equaliser. The ball came directly to him, at a fair but not outrageous pace, so he attempted to send it straight back into the mix, but succeeded – and I still don’t know how – in slicing it a further 50 yards or so into his own unattended net. Obviously no such own goals have happened in Town’s favour in my 58 seasons of watching them.”

<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">✅ 40-yard lob<br>✅ On the volley<br>❌ In the right goal…👀<br><br>Juninho Bacuna scored the best own-goal you'll ever see in Huddersfield Town's defeat at Stoke City tonight…😳 <a href=\"https://t.co/UGpuyFcSlD\">pic.twitter.com/UGpuyFcSlD</a></p>&mdash; Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/1034551710965030913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 28, 2018</a></blockquote>\n"}}”>

✅ 40-yard lob✅ On the volley❌ In the right goal…👀Juninho Bacuna scored the best own-goal you'll ever see in Huddersfield Town's defeat at Stoke City tonight…😳 pic.twitter.com/UGpuyFcSlD

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 28, 2018

Phil Lacy takes us into the French lower leagues. “I think the crown for longest-range own goal lies heavy on the head of one Alioune Ba of Quevilly Rouen, who blootered one in from even closer to the halfway line than Pedri.” Perhaps not, Phil, because Stuart Fanson remembers an own goal from way downtown in the WSL. “This from Manchester City’s Abbie McManus was from inside the opposition half. I believe this may have been live on the BBC at the time.” Yes it was but McManus was sanguine about it. “Goal of the season,” she deadpanned afterwards. “Lesson learnt.”

<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Ah, this is brilliant too. I’ve seen players score from their own half a few times but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone score an own goal from the opposition’s half.<br><br>It goes down as an Abbie McManus own goal but keeper Ellie Robuck is equally culpable.<a href=\"https://t.co/9LS4NCZ0m2\">pic.twitter.com/9LS4NCZ0m2</a></p>&mdash; GoalScorer Challenge (@GoalscorerC) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/GoalscorerC/status/1194644841893941249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 13, 2019</a></blockquote>\n"}}”>

Ah, this is brilliant too. I’ve seen players score from their own half a few times but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone score an own goal from the opposition’s half.It goes down as an Abbie McManus own goal but keeper Ellie Robuck is equally culpable.pic.twitter.com/9LS4NCZ0m2

— GoalScorer Challenge (@GoalscorerC) November 13, 2019

However, Aaron Grierson may well have a winner here. “The longest I’ve come across was scored by Victor Ruiz, of Cruz Azul, in a January 1996 Copa Mexico match against Cruz Azul Hidalgo.” It’s around 65 yards out and such a nonchalant volley, too. That will certainly make Pedri feel better.

That’s symmetry

“Gigi Buffon’s fairytale return to Parma (26 years after his professional debut there) has given him a perfectly symmetrical career – Parma, to Juventus, to PSG, to Juventus, to Parma. Are there any players with a longer ‘chain’ of clubs set out in this fashion?” asks Eddie Eyers.

There are a couple of shorter ones we found, such as Daniel Agger (Brondby, Liverpool, Brondby) and Vítor Baía (Porto, Barcelona, Porto) but we haven’t been able to dig out anything longer than five. Dara O’Reilly has found a high-profile player to match Buffon, though. “An identically symmetrical career path was forged by current Ukraine manager Andriy Shevchenko, who played for Dynamo Kyiv, Milan, Chelsea, Milan on loan again and finally Dynamo Kyiv again.”

View image in fullscreenAndriy Shevchenko gets a hero’s welcome when returning to Ukraine after taking the nation to the Euro 2020 quarter-finals. Photograph: Ukrinform/Shutterstock

Goalkeepers sent off for two bookable offences

“Has a goalkeeper ever been sent off for two yellow cards?” asks Bobby Dunnett.

Despite some noble efforts, it seems Jens Lehmann never managed this feat during his career. But Igor Akinfeev did it in spectacular style during CSKA Moscow’s 1-0 win over Real Madrid in 2018. In injury time at the end of the second half, Akinfeev was booked twice for dissent in the space of a few seconds.

Playing for a club named after a teammate

“Goran Pandev has just been playing at Euro 2020 with North Macedonia. One of his teammates, Marjan Radeski, plays for a club founded by and named after Pandev, Akademija Pandev. Has this ever happened before?” wonders Phil Farrell.

Remarkably, it has. In the 2019 Women’s World Cup, South Africa midfielder Mamello Makhabane lined up alongside her captain, Janine van Wyk. Both women were playing for JVW FC, a team founded by Van Wyk in 2012. On another note, the club also signed Caster Semenya in 2019.

More stunts at clubs when goals are scored

After last week’s lead question …

“I thought it was worth mentioning the person who let off fireworks when Brighton scored at ‘The Theatre of Trees’ between 2001 and 2003,” begins David Williams. “Brighton’s temporary home, the Withdean Stadium, backed onto woodland and someone would release a firework from the woods every time they heard the cheers from the fans after a goal was scored. It all came to an end when one stray firework landed in the stand.”

And Chet Lee has some more details on Portland Timbers’ log-chopping celebrations. “The original mascot, Timber Jim Serrill, rooted for the original NASL team and returned for the MLS iteration. A retired logger, he climbed a 60ft pole in the south (open) end zone (toe spikes and climbing belt) and sliced a piece from the top following each home goal. It was a sight to see in typically windy and wet conditions as the pole would often sway with him aboard. As he aged the the pole became a log and was moved to the north (closed, home supporter) end of the stadium.”

Knowledge archive

“A while back you had an answer regarding sent-off physios, but I recall only one in your answer,” wrote Walter Flynn in July 2009. “My local team Waterford United’s physio Eddie Jackman has seen red twice, a few years back against Shamrock Rovers and last year versus Dundalk. Does he get a prize?”

Not quite, but the latter incident did deserve further scrutiny. According to RTE.ie:

As the teams trooped off the pitch, the Dundalk goalkeeper appeared to bang into the back of the Waterford physio Eddie Jackman who appeared to retaliate and, within seconds, there was an ugly battle that progressed along the running track for several minutes involving practically everybody, including security men, and it was difficult to tell the peace-keepers from the aggressors. Nobody was sent off following the incident but Jackman was asked by the Gardai not to return to the dug-out in the second-half and he complied with their request.”

Knowledge archive

Can you help?

“Why are the Czech Republic not called Czechia, the country’s preferred name,” asks Mike Prior. “And are there any other teams that have a different name from their actual nation (the short-lived CIS, kind enough to donate a 3-0 win to Scotland, springs to mind)?”

<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">When was the last time that a team kept a clean sheet for five consecutive matches in a major tournament ?</p>&mdash; Mark Peterborough (@markpeterboro) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/markpeterboro/status/1412347441119125504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 6, 2021</a></blockquote>\n"}}”>

When was the last time that a team kept a clean sheet for five consecutive matches in a major tournament ?

— Mark Peterborough (@markpeterboro) July 6, 2021

“Watching Denmark get three corners in a row, I wondered what is the record for successive corners in a professional match,” asks James Widdicks.

“Elton John is due to play Carrow Road, Anfield, Stadium of Light, Ashton Gate and Liberty Stadium next summer,” writes Russell Harper. “How many different football grounds in the UK has he dragged his piano to? Can his old mucker Rod Stewart beat him? Anyone else? Bon Jovi? Take That?”

<p lang=\"und\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https://twitter.com/TheKnowledge_GU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheKnowledge_GU</a> ? <a href=\"https://t.co/xmF7Sa6HDR\">https://t.co/xmF7Sa6HDR</a></p>&mdash; Matthew Hague (@Worsbroughtyke) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/Worsbroughtyke/status/1412128416061661185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 5, 2021</a></blockquote>\n"}}”>

@TheKnowledge_GU ? https://t.co/xmF7Sa6HDR

— Matthew Hague (@Worsbroughtyke) July 5, 2021

“What is the most unlikely reason a transfer has fallen through due to a failed medical?” wonders Oliver Rowe.

<p lang=\"und\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https://twitter.com/TheKnowledge_GU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheKnowledge_GU</a> <a href=\"https://t.co/kngVS9AcXw\">https://t.co/kngVS9AcXw</a></p>&mdash; ᴮᴿᴵᴺᴳоɴᵀᴴᴱвᴇᴇʀ ◦ ɱɩcɧæɭ (@bringonthebeer) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/bringonthebeer/status/1411131368503980035?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 3, 2021</a></blockquote>\n"}}”>

@TheKnowledge_GU https://t.co/kngVS9AcXw

— ᴮᴿᴵᴺᴳоɴᵀᴴᴱвᴇᴇʀ ◦ ɱɩcɧæɭ (@bringonthebeer) July 3, 2021

Email your questions and answers to [email protected] or tweet @TheKnowledge_GU.