Question Number: 25675

Law 11 - Offside 10/28/2011

RE: Adult

charles of garden grove, calif usa asks...

When a goalie or defender intercepts the ball but attacker, immediatly, who was offside position comes from behind and he was not not interfering anyway, steals the ball and scores.
Is this offside or not?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It depends.

Offside position is reset once the defender has clear possession and control of the ball. When a goal keeper has possession of the ball with the hands, it is an easy decision. The PIOP is free to play the ball after the goal keeper releases it from the keeper's possession.

When a defender has the ball at the feet, however, the judgment it is more complex. Immediate pressure as the ball arrives ordinarily will be considered offside for interfering with the defender's ability to see or play the ball. Age and skill level and the proximity of the PIOP to the area of play will be important factors.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Charles
The key here is control of the ball by the defender. Once the defender controls the ball and begins a phase of play offside has been reset.
If the ball is not clearly in control and the attacker comes instantly from an offside position to challenge for the ball then that is offside when the player in an offside position interferes with the opponent or interferes with play by touching the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

If the keeper or defender was in control of the ball, there is no offside, as the attacking player is never offside when the ball is last controlled and played by the defender.

Depending on what you mean by 'comes from behind and steals the ball' this could be perfectly legal or it could be offside for interfering with an opponent, or it could be a caution for preventing the keeper from putting the ball back into play and an IDFK restart for the keeper's team.

If the attacker was in fact behind the defense, and the defense intercepts and then controls the ball, starting a new phase of play, then there is no offside. There could be an IDFK for interfering with the keeper if the ball is headed out of his hand, or is stolen while the keeper is in the kicking motion of the ball.

If the defense has not controlled the ball, but simply intercepted it, it could still be offside. The devil is in the details.