A football. Photo credit: Ro/Lu
Nigerian defender Festus Baise, of Hong Kong First Division side Sun Hei, is a player very, very few people outside Hong Kong had heard of until today. Why? Because Hong Kong’s football league is no Premier League, no La Liga. But when Baise scored quite possible the most stunning own goal ever recorded anywhere on the planet, he became an (unfortunate) overnight internet sensation. The clip was the most viewed story on The Gaurdian through Tuesday and has spread like wildfire on social media sites.
Here’s how The Guardian introduced the clip: “Baise moves into position late into a match against Citizen AA, attempting to cut out a cross from the right. Surely he can’t perform a reverse scorpion volley and send the ball floating over his goalkeeper’s head and neatly into the net? Can he?”
The ridiculous own goal prompted The Daily Telegraph to select their top ten of all-time. Incredibly, Baise’s wonder strike landed him only the fifth ‘best’ position. Arsenal legend Lee Dixon’s long range chip topped the poll but it was Manchester City’s Jamie Pollock’s second-placed effort which particularly tickled The Periscope Post‘s fancy:
