Paraguayan defender Damián Bobadilla entered the record books for an unwanted reason, becoming the first player to score an own goal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday during Paraguay’s Group D match against the USA at SoFi Stadium in California.
The midfielder inadvertently turned the ball into his own net as he tried to deal with Weston McKennie’s cut-back from the edge of the six-yard box, giving the co-hosts an early lead.
The goal, scored in the seventh minute, was the third-fastest U.S. goal in FIFA World Cup history and the fastest goal of the 2026 tournament to date.
RELATED | USA vs PAR Live Score World Cup 2026
This was the fourth own goal against the US in World Cup history. Only France (six) has had more.
The US will host the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1994 and will look to improve on its 2022 season, which ended with a Round of 16 defeat.
Paraguay, meanwhile, has returned to the tournament for the first time since 2010, when the country enjoyed its best ever World Cup run by reaching the quarter-finals.
Published on June 13, 2026
