Players to score both goal & own goal in FIFA World Cup match ft. Aymen Hussein

Aymen Hussein’s Iraq were playing their first World Cup match in nearly four decades.

It’s not even a week in the FIFA World Cup 2026, and we already have some of the most iconic and memorable moments.

Whether it be debutants Cape Verde holding Spain to a goalless draw, Kylian Mbappe becoming the all-time leading goalscorer of France or Lionel Messi becoming the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick, the World Cup 2026 does not fail to excite us.

Scoring a goal in the FIFA World Cup is the dream of every footballer fortunate enough to grace its biggest stage. A moment so legendary that it can immortalise careers or etch someone’s name in golden letters in the folklore of their nation’s footballing history.

However, a few rare unfortunate players have had jubilation and heartbreak arrive donning the same jersey, in the same tournament, and sometimes even in the same match.

In tonight’s Iraq vs Norway game in the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage encounter, Aymen Hussein recently joined one of the most peculiar and strange clubs. In World Cup history, he is now one of only three players to score a goal and an own goal in the same World Cup match.

He becomes the third player in the history of the FIFA World Cup to achieve this feat. In this article, we take a ride down memory lane to find out the other two.

Three players have achieved this rare, unfortunate feat

3. Ernie Brandts – Netherlands vs Italy – 1978

It was June 21, 1978, at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, where a place in the FIFA World Cup 1978 Finals was at stake. Both Italy and the Netherlands squared off in a second group stage fixture, where the table topper would make it to the finals.

A draw would have been enough for Italy, but it was a must-win game for the Dutch to play back-to-back finals. The deadlock was broken in the 19th minute in the most unfortunate manner after Brandts went on to score an own goal to make it 1-0 for Italy.

In the second half, he redeemed himself after scoring the equaliser in the 49th minute. Another goal by Arend Haan in the final quarter saw the Netherlands win. With a 2-1 victory, they made it to back-to-back World Cup Finals.

2. Mario Mandzukic – Croatia vs France – 2018

It was one of the greatest games in footballing history, the FIFA World Cup Finals in 2018 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. France made it to the finals after 12 years since that penalty shootout defeat to Italy in 2006. Croatia were playing their first-ever World Cup finals.

Mandzukic’s worst-ever nightmares came true. The first goal in the World Cup 2018 finals came as an own goal from the Croatian striker to make it 1-0 for France. Ivan Perisic did score the equaliser, but then France went on to score three more to make it 4-1.

But destiny seemed to be a bit kinder to Mandzukic. He scored a goal in the 69th minute after a blunder from Hugo Lloris to make it 4-2.

That goal, however, was not enough. France became world champions in 2018.

1. Aymen Hussein – Iraq vs Norway – 2026

In a 2026 FIFA World Cup match, two nations were playing their first-ever World Cup game in decades. Erling Haaland scored the first goal for Norway in the 29th minute. Much to everyone’s surprise, Iraq equalised. It was Aymen Hussein who scored Iraq’s first World Cup goal in 2026 in the 39th minute.

But two more goals from Haaland and Ostigard saw Norway lead 3-1. In the dying minutes of the game, an unfortunate own goal from Aymen Hussein saw Iraq go down 4-1 to Norway.

Also read: Who is Aymen Hussein? Striker who scored Iraq’s first World Cup goal in 40 years

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