Yes, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored an own goal during his illustrious career. While he is famously known for his incredible goal-scoring prowess at the correct end of the pitch, a single instance stands out where he inadvertently put the ball into his own net.
The Rare Instance: Granada vs. Real Madrid (2013)
Cristiano Ronaldo's solitary own goal occurred on February 2, 2013, during a La Liga match between his then-club, Real Madrid, and Granada. In an unexpected turn of events for the prolific forward, Ronaldo headed the ball into his own team's net, resulting in a 1-0 defeat for Real Madrid. This moment remains a peculiar footnote in a career otherwise dominated by scoring for his teams.
This particular match highlight's how even the greatest players can experience such an unfortunate incident. It was a genuine own goal, meaning it was directly attributed to him.
Event Detail | Information |
---|---|
Player | Cristiano Ronaldo |
Opponent | Granada CF |
Player's Team | Real Madrid |
Date | February 2, 2013 |
Competition | La Liga (Spanish Top Flight) |
Match Result | Real Madrid lost 1-0 to Granada |
Significance | This was the only genuine own goal of Ronaldo's professional career. |
Key facts about this rare event include:
- It happened during a league fixture, impacting Real Madrid's title aspirations that season.
- The goal was scored in the first half of the match.
- Despite being one of the most prolific forwards in football history, with over 800 career goals to his name, this single own goal remains a statistical anomaly.
A Statistical Anomaly in a Legendary Career
Considering Cristiano Ronaldo's career, which has spanned over two decades and thousands of professional matches across multiple top leagues—including the Portuguese Primeira Liga, the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, and various international competitions—having only one own goal is remarkable. His primary role has always been to score goals for his team, consistently ranking among the top scorers in every league he has played in.
For a player who has touched the ball countless times in attacking positions, and also contributes defensively on set pieces, this single occurrence underscores the sheer rarity of such an event in his extensive career. His overall career statistics overwhelmingly reflect his incredible ability to find the back of the opponent's net.
What Defines an "Own Goal"?
An own goal occurs when a player inadvertently directs the ball into their own team's net, resulting in a goal being credited to the opposing side. These incidents, while unfortunate for the player and their team, are a part of the unpredictability of football and can happen in various circumstances, from misjudged clearances to deflections.