Question Number: 22940

Law 16 - Goal Kick 3/13/2010

RE: select level A Under 12

MARK of st louis, missouri st louis asks...

The team I am playing against takes a goal kick. Their player is on my side of the field and in an offside position when the kick is taken. The ball is not touched and goes over my center back's head and the player in the offside position gets the ball, goes in on a break away and scores a goal. I tell the referee he was offside and I was told there is NO OFFSIDE ON A GOAL KICK. Please explain??? Was I right or wrong. Thx for your help. Mark

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Mark,

The referee was correct. The laws of the game (Law 11 - it's downloadable from the FIFA website or you can simply google 'FIFA Laws Of The Game') state that a player cannot be offside directly from a corner kick, goal kick, or throw in.

In the situation you've described, even if one of your defenders got a touch on the ball that would still not put the attacker offside as it needs to come from an attacker - and the goal kick restart doesn't count for that necessary attacking touch.

If, however, the referee believes that after the goal kick an attacker got a slight touch to it and then it went to the attacker who is in an offside position at the moment of that touch, then he has not received it 'directly' from the goal kick - but from his teammate after the ball's already in play.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
As per Law 11 a player cannot be offside from a throw in, a corner kick or a goal kick.
I would refer you to FIFA Interactive Guide to Law 11 and it can be viewed at this page

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/lawsofthegame.html

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The referee was correct. A player who receives a ball directly from a goal kick may become involved in play regardless of the player's position at the time of the goal kick.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Moral of story: On the opposing team's goal kick, make sure all attackers in the defensive end are appropriately defensed!!

A goal kick is one of the exceptions to the offside rule on restarts, along with corner kicks and throw-ins.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 25412