There are few more spectacular sights in football than that of a player finding the net from their own half of the pitch.
David Beckham’s coming-of-age effort for Manchester United against Wimbledon in 1996 is probably the first instance you think of – but there has been no shortage of such goals down the years.
Here, we’ve picked out some of the players who’ve scored from their own territory at least once…
Charlie Adam
Something of a Premier League cult hero from his time at Blackpool, Charlie Adam was fond of a long-range goal.
And the 26-cap Scotland midfielder took that fondness to the extreme while playing for Stoke City against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2015, unleashing one from just outside the centre circle with that wand of a left foot to lob Thibaut Courtois.
Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso scored from his own half in successive years for Liverpool – which is just showing off if you ask us.
The great Spanish midfield maestro first did it during a thrilling 5-3 FA Cup win away to Luton Town in 2006 – albeit with the goal gaping as Luton’s goalkeeper had come up for a corner – before repeating the feat against Newcastle at Anfield in the Premier League, sending one over a scrambling Steve Harper at the Kop End.
John Bailey
A member of Everton’s 1983/84 FA Cup-winning team, left-back John Bailey found the net from his own half in a 5-0 First Division thrashing of Luton at Goodison Park in 1982.
The ‘keeper probably should have done better, failing to stop the ball from bouncing over him, but they all count!
David Beckham
David Beckham wasn’t the first to do it, but his iconic strike from just inside his own half for Manchester United against Wimbledon is the most famous goal on this list.
That moment at Selhurst Park on the opening day of the 1996/97 season was when Becks well and truly confirmed himself as a major star in the making.
Asmir Begovic
Part of a select group of ‘keepers to find the net in the Premier League, Asmir Begovic wind-assisted effort for Stoke at home to Southampton in 2013 was, for a time, the longest-range goal ever scored.
The Bosnian’s improbable strike remains one the quickest goals in Prem history, coming a mere 13.64 seconds after kick-off.
Jose Luis Chilavert
Probably the first name that comes to mind when you think of goalscoring goalkeepers, legendary former Paraguay captain Jose Luis Chilavert struck an incredible 67 times for club and country.
A set-piece specialist, El Buldog netted from his own half for Velez Sarsfield in all-Argentina Copa Libertadores clash with River Plate in 1996, taking a free-kick so quickly that the referee had to duck out of the way.
Maynor Figueroa
Stoke has been the scene of multiple own-half goals in the Premier League, and Maynor Figueroa scored a stunning one there for Wigan Athletic in 2009.
Spotting Thomas Sorensen off his line, the Honduran didn’t think twice about arrowing a free-kick over the head of the Potters ‘keeper and into the net.
Roger Garcia
Between 2002 and 2003, Spanish midfielder Roger Garcia achieved the remarkable feat of scoring from his own half three times in a 12-month period – for two different clubs.
Having done so twice for Espanyol, against Recreativo Huelva then Rayo Vallecano, he came up with the goods yet again by netting from the centre circle for Villarreal against Galatasaray in the UEFA Cup. Extraordinary.
Lars Jansen
Playing for Dutch third-tier outfit Noordwijk against Amsterdamsche in 2024, goalkeeper Lars Jansen cleared a risky back-pass and must have thought that was it.
But it only went and flew all the way into the net at the other end! Not that he knew he’d scored – he got clattered for his troubles in making that crucial clearance and was seemingly too hurt to celebrate.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane is as clinical as you’d expect from one of the greatest strikers of all time, but he’s well-accustomed to having a crack from range too.
The England skipper showed that in especially spectacular fashion only a couple of months into his Bayern Munich career, lobbing the ‘keeper from miles out en route to a hat-trick in an 8-0 drubbing of Darmstadt in 2023.
Tom King
Newport County goalkeeper Tom King grabbed himself a Guinness World Record with a monster goal-kick away to Cheltenham Town in a 2021 League Two clash, finding the net from a whopping 96.01 metres – the furthest in a competitive match.
Unfortunately for King, the game came amid Covid restrictions, so no fans were in the ground to see it.
Kemar Roofe
Another goal which, sadly, came against the backdrop of empty stands, Kemar Roofe’s outrageous stoppage-time effort made sure of victory for Rangers at Standard Liege in the 2020/21 Europa League group stage.
The forward won the ball near his own box, before holding off two opposition players and unleashing an unstoppable shot all the way over scrambling ‘keeper Arnaud Bodart.
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney completed his first Everton hat-trick, in his second spell at the club, in some style, scoring from his own half in a 4-0 thrashing of West Ham at Goodison Park in 2017.
Pouncing on Joe Hart’s clearance and hitting the ball sweetly straight over the stranded goalkeeper, Rooney even had Hammers defender Angelo Ogbonna desperately trying to keep it out with his hand.
Jone Samuelsen
Here’s something you don’t see every day: a player scoring from their own half with a header.
With Tromso sending their ‘keeper up for a corner in a 2011 Norwegian league encounter away to Odd Greenland, the opportunity presented itself for Odd's Jone Samuelsen to direct the ball goalwards with his noggin – and find the net from just behind the halfway line. Impressive.
Ismaila Sarr
During Watford’s visit to The Hawthorns to face West Brom early in the 2022/23 Championship campaign, Ismaila Sarr scored probably the most special goal he’ll ever score.
Picking up the ball near the centre circle, the Senegalese speedster turned, took a couple of touches then arrowed a pinpoint shot over a helpless David Button in the hosts’ net.
Josh Windass
On New Year’s Day 2025, Sheffield Wednesday’s Josh Windass produced an early Puskas Award contender.
In Wednesday’s 4-2 home win over Derby County, the son of cult hero Dean Windass received the ball midway inside his own half, took a single touch and, apparently without hesitation, sumptuously lobbed County custodian Widell Zetterstrom.
