Question Number: 26299

Law 11 - Offside 5/6/2012

RE: Under 15

Armando of Wayne, NJ US asks...

Once the last defender (not the keeper) is beaten by an attacking player, and that player plays the ball to a teammate that is also past that last defender (not the keeper) but even with or behind the ball, is that offsides?

Also, if a players dribbles past the keeper (who was the last defender - no other defender behind him), and that player plays the ball to:

a teammate, that is even with him, is that offsides?

a teammate, backwards, who is also past the keeper, is that offsides?

a teammante, backwards, with the keeper in between both of them, is that offsides?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Armando
As the player is level with or behind the ball that player is not in an offside position and he may participate in play without being called offside.
In the relation to your other questions the answers depends on the position of the team mate relative to the ball. If the team is level with the ball or behind it the player is not in an offside position.
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. The key word in that sentence is BOTH

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

There are 3 conditions to be in an offside position, and all three must be met:
-- closer to the goal line than the ball
-- closer to the goal line than the 2nd to last opponent
-- in the attacking half of the field.

Quite a few people forget about the first condition. Historically, that was the only condition for being offside (it was called 'sneaking' in some of the very old versions of the Laws).

So in all your situations, as long as the teammate is even with or behind the ball, he is not in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

1. No offside EVER if player even with or behind the ball.
2.a,b,c in every case, the teammate is even with or behind the ball. no offside