Spain Dominates Saudi Arabia 4-0 Amidst World Cup Own Goal Surge

Iran is given a free-kick for a handball about 35m from goal.

Ehsan Hajsafi stands over the dead ball for what seems like an age.

It looks like he's lining up a shot, but it's a lovely piece of trickery from the defender, who instead rolls the ball forward, where Mehdi Taremi turns on the edge of the penalty area and slots the ball into the back of the net.

However - there is a long delay as VAR combs through the footage.

The offside flag stayed down on field, but it looked very, very tight.

— with Reuters

One of the features of the opening 10 days of the 2026 World Cup has been a surge in unfortunate own goals with co-hosts United States benefitting twice and the tournament total of eight already the second highest in the history of the global finals.

Only the 2018 World Cup in Russia had more luckless players put the ball into the back of their net with 12, and it would be no surprise to see that figure eclipsed with the current tournament expanded to 48 teams and 104 matches.

We are a little over a third of the way through the 2026 tournament and amid some incredible strikes at the right end of the pitch, the own goal has been prominent.

Paraguay's Damián Bobadilla was the first to put the ball into his own net inside seven minutes of their loss to United States, who also forced Australia's Cameron Burgess into an own goal as they made it two wins from two in Group D.

Players from Switzerland, Qatar, Egypt and Iraq have all also scored at the wrong end in North America, with Saudi Arabia's Hassan Al-Tambakti becoming the latest player to turn into his own net against Spain earlier today.

There have been 61 own goals in World Cup matches with almost 12% coming in this year's tournament alone.

The first was scored by 18-year-old Manuel Rosas from Mexico in a 3-0 loss to Chile in the maiden World Cup in 1930.

There have been five tournaments that did not feature any own goals, the last in 1990, while the two scored in favour of the United States this year is already a joint record for most in favour of a team in a single tournament, along with France in 2014 and 2018.

The most own goals scored by a side in a single tournament is also two, by Bulgaria in 1966 and Russia at their own World Cup in 2018.

Reuters

Inspired by Lamine Yamal, Spain strolled to a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Group H on Sunday, where Mikel Oyarzabal restored his reputation with two goals and Luis de la Fuente's side found their groove after an underwhelming World Cup opener.

Yamal opened the scoring in the 10th minute and Oyarzabal, who failed to register a touch in the opening half hour in Monday's scoreless draw with Cabo Verde, scored twice in quick succession as Spain had the game wrapped up by halftime.

An own goal shortly after the interval failed to re-open the floodgates, as Spain used the opportunity to make changes and rest their scorers.

De la Fuente celebrated his 65th birthday in style, and Yamal, whose only football in the last two months came as a substitute against Cabo Verde, sparked life into the team that returned to Atlanta Stadium.

A huge cheer greeted Yamal's first touch, twisting and turning his marker before playing a teasing cross which was cleared by Abdulelah Alamri, the scorer of Saudi Arabia's goal in their 1-1 with Uruguay.

The opening goal came with Oyarzabal sending an inviting ball across the box and Yamal was there sliding in at the back post to score his first World Cup goal.

Having toiled in vain in their opening game, the goal relaxed Spain, who began to carve open the Saudi defence at will, and the second goal came from a corner.

Dani Olmo sent the ball back into the mix which the Saudis failed to clear and Aymeric Laporte nodded down to Oyarzabal who bundled the ball into the net.

Three minutes later, Spain was in again with a beautifully worked goal. Pedro Porro floated a pass into the area and the ball never touched the ground until it found the net.

Spain replaced Yamal and Oyarzabal for the second half, but picked up where they left off when the Saudi goalkeeper blocked Cucurella's volley from a corner and the ball ricocheted off defender Hassan Altambakti and into the net.

The European champions continued to create chances, but understandably took their foot off the gas on a day when even Vozinha, Cape Verde's 40-year-old hero keeper, would have struggled against this version of Spain, who look back to their best.