Oli McBurnie is back in the Scotland squad, still searching for his first international goal. With 20 caps and no goals to his name, the striker recently joked that “a tap-in on Saturday or one that goes in off my backside would be lovely.” It is a phrase that has been uttered by many a frustrated forward, but has anyone actually ended a goal drought with their rear? The Knowledge went looking for answers.
The dream scenario – a prolific striker on a barren run, only to see an errant clearance cannon off their backside and dribble over the line – did not materialise. But while the perfect example may not exist, there are still plenty of backside goals that carry a certain earthy charm.
The first involves Dean Coney, who broke his duck for Norwich in a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa in 1989. He charged down a clearance from Nigel Spink, the ball rebounded off his backside and into the net. It was his only goal for the club.
A similar feat occurred at international level a few years later. Robbie Slater, who won the Premier League with Blackburn, scored his first goal for Australia with his backside against the Solomon Islands in his 21st full international. It was the opening goal in a 6-2 win during qualification for France 98. Then-Australia coach Terry Venables reacted with the uncomfortable smile of a man who wondered how he had gone from Gazza’s wonder goal against Scotland to a backside ricochet against the Solomon Islands.
Perhaps the most famous backside goal came at Ninian Park in May 2002, where a playoff semi-final was settled by the posterior of Souleymane Oularé. Stoke City had lost the first leg 2-1 at home, but James O’Connor scored in the 90th minute to force extra time. Then, with five minutes of extra time to play, O’Connor’s free-kick hit Oularé and bounced into the net. The Guinean forward, who had been out of the team for almost four months, had been brought on as a substitute when Stoke were chasing the game in normal time. It proved to be the winning goal that sent Stoke to the final.
Oularé’s Stoke career was brief but eventful. He was signed in December 2001, but was ruled out for most of the season following a life-threatening blood clot after his debut against Northampton. After four years in the third tier, the lowest the club had ever been, Stoke went on to beat Brentford in the playoff final. Oularé stayed on the bench that day and didn’t play for the club again. His career with the Potters amounted to just 80 minutes.
More recent examples include William Saliba, who scored with his rump for Arsenal against Manchester United in 2024-25, and Thierno Barry, who slid the ball into the net with his behind to give Everton victory at St James’ Park last season. In the Women’s Super League, a big deflection off Sjoeke Nüsken put Chelsea 3-0 up in their vital clash against Arsenal in March 2024 – although it was not entirely clear whether it came off her backside or her leg. And at Tannadice in 2010, Rangers’ hopes of a domestic treble ended with a Scottish Cup quarter-final defeat by Dundee United, the only goal scored in bizarre circumstances by David Robertson. Again, it was not 100% certain it was a bona fide backside goal, but it was well worth a look.