Question Number: 27507

Law 11 - Offside 6/6/2013

RE: Adult

Luis of Williamsburg, Michigan USA asks...

I Know you can not be in offside if you receive the ball directly from a goal-kick. What happen if me as an attacker got that ball from the opponent goalkick and I am in offside?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Luis,
To be able to be penalised for offside a teammate of yours needs to have touched the ball, then we can start thinking about potential offside infringements.

As no teammate has been involved here there is no problem - so if you're fortunate enough to intercept a goal kick close to the goal then you're free to attack the goal.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Luis
As you say a player cannot be offside from a goal kick. Now when the ball is touched by an opponent that does not change the offside decision. It is still not offside.
However if the goal kick ball was to be touched by a team mate then offside would be determined at that touch/ play of the ball. If the player was still in an offside position at that touch then that would be called offside when the PIOP interferes with play or an opponent.
Also a player cannot be called offside when the ball is deliberately played to him by an opponent in any situation. The player in an offside position can only be called offside on a play by a team mate. A ball however that that is only deflected or rebounds off an opponent is not a deliberate play and it does not reset the offside position. Offside will be called when the PIOP "gains an advantage by being in that position'" by either touching the ball or interfering with an opponent.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

It is not an offense to be in an offside position. It is only an offense if a player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played by a TEAMMATE becomes actively involved in play by:
1. Interfering with play
2. Interfering with an opponent or
3. Gaining an advantage by being in that position