The Premier League's most prolific scorer of unfortunate goals

History · Published 5 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Richard Dunne was a titan of the defence, but his name is etched in the record books for all the wrong reasons. While he earned legendary status as a Manchester City captain, he also holds the unenviable Premier League record for the most own goals scored.

For much of his career, the Irish centre-back was defined by his physical dominance and leadership. During his nearly ten-year tenure at Manchester City, Dunne achieved a feat of consistency rarely seen, winning the club's Player of the Year award for four consecutive seasons between 2005 and 2009. His defensive prowess was such that teammates like Micah Richards compared him to icons like John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.

However, the record books also capture his more turbulent moments. Dunne shares the Premier League record for most red cards, having been sent off eight times, a figure matched only by Patrick Vieira and Duncan Ferguson. Even more statistically striking is his record for scoring ten own goals in the Premier League, including a tenth during a 3–2 loss to Liverpool in October 2014 while playing for Queens Park Rangers.

Despite these statistical anomalies, his international career with the Republic of Ireland was marked by moments of genuine heroism. He was a mainstay in the squad during the 2002 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2012 campaigns. His performance against Russia in September 2011 was so commanding that former legend Paul McGrath described it as the finest display by an Irish central defender he had ever witnessed.

After retiring from professional football in November 2015, Dunne transitioned into media, becoming a respected pundit for BT Sport (now TNT Sports). His career, spanning from his professional debut at Everton in 1997 to his final years at QPR, remains a complex study of defensive excellence and high-stakes errors.

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