Question Number: 24570

Law 11 - Offside 2/9/2011

RE: Competive Under 14

Paulo Schneider of Boca Raton, FL USA asks...

The denfending team's goalie comes out, runs by the last defender (team mate) who stands still. while the attacking team serves the ball to their forward who is now in a position between the goalie and the defender. Did the goalie become the last denfender? In that case was the forward from the attacking offside?

Please advise

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Yes. In deciding whether a player is in offside position, last defender and the second last defender can be any member of the defending team. Indeed, there are occasions when the keeper is further from the goal line than two teammates.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The goalkeeper became the second to last defender, and thus established the line for offside position. The attacker is indeed in an offside position.

A play like this happened in the opening game of the WC in RSA. Much to the consternation of announcer Efan Ekoku, who kept pointing to the defender on the goal line, saying how could it be offside with a player there? He was totally oblivious to the fact that the goalkeeper was somewhere up near the top of the goal area, which set the offside line there.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Paulo
Offside law 11 only mentions second last opponent with no reference to the goalkeeper for obvious reasons. So a player is in an offside position if he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent.
Most of the time the goalkeeper is close to the goal line so the AR is looking for the second last opponent usually the last defender to determine offside position. When the goalkeeper gets beyond defenders the AR is then looking for who is then the second last opponent which in fact could be another defender or perhaps the GK.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Paulo, you should know this. As a referee you are expected to have at least a rudimentary understanding of the Laws Of The Game. Law 11 only refers to opponents when discussing offside position. Goalkeepers aren't mentioned nor should they be. Offside is all about gaining an advantage illegally against the opposing TEAM.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Timing is everything here. If the keeper runs out past his teammate before the ball is served to the attacking player who is now between the keeper and the last defender, the keeper has become the second to last defender, and the attacker is in an offside position. If he then plays the ball or interferes with one of his opponents or gains an advantage from a rebound/deflection, he will be called offside.

However, if the ball is served before the keeper makes his move, we judge the attacker's position at the time the ball was played, and if the attacker was not closer to the goal line at that point than the keeper and his teammate, the attacker is not in an offside position.