Question Number: 35797

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/13/2024

Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

Hello,

I have a slightly more general question this time. :-)

I will try to demonstrate it on two situations.

Situation 1:

The ball flies into the penalty area. The goalkeeper jumps into the air and catches the ball in his hands. The attacker also jumps and tries to hit the ball with his head. After the goalkeeper holds the ball, their bodies touch.

Situation 2:

The situation is similar. The attacker focuses on the ball. He touches the goalkeeper before he catches the ball. After the goalkeeper catches the ball, the touch continues or a new one occurs.

When is it a attacker's foul and when is it not? What are the criteria that determine your decision?

Thank you very much!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr
Thanks for the question.
Soccer is a contact sport and a referee has to judge whether any contact meets one of the Law 12 offences in a careless or reckless manner. In this case charging, jumping at or challenging.
Many times a referee may not even bother calling a foul or play advantage as nothing has happened of a negative consequence such as the ball being dislodged from the goalkeeper’s grasp or some other negative consequence.

As regards your two scenarios both can be considered fouls as the attacker has not played the ball making contact with an opponent, the goalkeeper. It is careless.

If the contact is minimal with zero impact on play a referee might simply signal advantage. Sometimes a referee may have to consider whether there might be exception taken to the contact. That is a judgement call based on what the context is and the mood of the game.
I have seen these ignored with maybe the attacker on the ground and the goalkeeper eager to punt.
I have also seen goalkeepers taking exception to the challenge and the referee had to intervene with a free kick and either a word or a caution.

Finally a referee may not be able to discern if it is scenario 1 or 2 and for that matter it makes no real difference except where the contact is late and intentional and /or has an impact on the game.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Petr,
foul recognition is as much art as it is experience and knowledge. Some contact is inevitable some is accidental, it is also stated within the LOTG as careless ,reckless and excessive. To a certain degree we can apply trifling and doubtful as to the effect on the match & the need to intervene.
Unless we are confident in our decision making process we could pull from the sources & reactions, even the reaction of the crowds and other non neutral sources, which we should not be doing!
The tolerance of contact by the official should partially sync up with the expectations of the players. Keeper is unfairly interfered with and looses possession most definitely a free kick. The clarity and angle of view with the support of the ARS, helps finalize any decision. At worst a careless foul or maybe nothing. For the keeper to be a fault would be in pushing or shoving or following through at an angle not suitable to challenge. in going through or over top of an attacker to get to the ball.

A keeper is often best positioned to get to a higher ball, certainly vulnerable if extended, arms up into the air and is undercut. Once a keeper has possession any physical contact or challenge is technically a foul. Be it a DFK for contact or an INDFK denying a release. In either case the ball on the ground may not be as advantageous as simply letting the keeper run about the PA and punt or throw it. So in such cases, LET the keeper be AWARE verbally you SAW the contact, perhaps warn the offender, this reassures the keeper, he has the ball and can just get on with it. UNLESS there is a real need to caution or card the offender or there is signs of potential retaliation. It's like a mini advantage, just a bump, you are better off to continue than stop and take a free kick from way deep in the defending third!

It's a long way from when you could legally charge a keeper and bundle them into the netted area for a goal.
Cheers