FIFA World Cup 2026: Mohamed Hany own goal sets shocking all-time World Cup record

The FIFA World Cup 2026 has officially broken the all-time tournament record for the highest number of own goals scored in a single edition. The historic moment arrived in spectacular, albeit heartbreaking fashion when Egyptian defender Mohamed Hany inadvertently turned the ball into his own net during the round of 32 match between Egypt and Austrialia.Hany’s defensive mishap marked the 13th own goal of this tournament alone, moving the 2026 edition past the previous record of 12 own goals set during the 2018 World Cup in Russia. With the tournament currently operating under an expanded format, the sheer number of deflections and defensive errors has reached unprecedented heights.

The goal also earned Hany a highly unenviable piece of individual history. By finding the wrong net on Saturday, the Egyptian international became only the second player in the entire history of the World Cup to score two own goals in a single tournament edition.The only other player to suffer this exact tactical nightmare was Bulgaria's Ivan Vutsov, who scored two own goals during the 1966 World Cup in England. Hany’s duplicate errors mean he joins a 60-year-old list of legendary World Cup heartbreaks, highlighting the intense, unforgiving pressure modern defenders face on the global stage.Defenses Under PressureTactical experts suggest that the aggressive attacking style of modern football, coupled with high-octane low crosses into the penalty box, has forced defenders into extremely risky situations.

While forwards love checking the scoring charts, the defensive units in this tournament have consistently struggled to handle sharp, unpredictable deflections.As the competition heads into the high-stakes knockout phase, managers will be desperate to fix these costly errors. For Hany and Egypt, the historic statistic remains a bitter pill to swallow, but it guarantees this tournament will be remembered as the most chaotic edition ever for backlines.Most own goals in a single World Cup edition: