Question Number: 16213

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 8/5/2007

RE: Under 14

chelsea of perth, wa Australia asks...

does the whole soccer ball have to be over the line to be called a goal

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Yes. Law 10 says, "A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no infringement of the Laws of the Game has been committed previously by the team scoring the goal."

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The entire ball must cross the entire goal line, go underneath the crossbar, and in between the goalposts in order for a goal to be scored. If these things happen and no other offense has been commited prior to this which requires the referee to stop play then you shall put a tally mark under the attacking team and restart with a kick-off to the team that gave up the goal.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Ah, as Referee Voshol notes, the Law is very, make that quite clear, the whole of the ball, every smidgen of it as can be best determined by the perfectly positioned AR, must be over the back edge of the goal line, under the cross bar and inside the goal posts before it can be called a goal. Note the Law says NOTHING about where the goalkeeper has to be - she can be inside the goal itself and stop the ball on the line and there is no goal. If we can't tell if the whole of the ball crossed the goal line or not, well, then, it didn't. Where this gets tricky is when the goalkeeper catches it in the air on the goal line and pulls it out of the goal - did it go in or not? Ouch! Unless the AR is right there to judge, it is often impossible to say (not always, of course).

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Yes, and this has bred an interesting technology discussion in the past few years. Some think the addition of something that'll tell the referee when the whole of the ball has crossed the whole of the goal line, under the crossbar and between the posts will be good for The Game.

It will!!

Trouble is technology has not progressed to the point where it is better than a properly positioned assistant referee. When technology becomes 100% accurate and instantaneous I'll agree to adding it to the decision making process, until then a human making the decision is much more accurate and just better all 'round.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Yes...All of the ball must be over all of the line. Even the part that is not touching the ground.