Question Number: 25574

Law 18 - Common Sense 10/9/2011

RE: Comp Under 13

Beth of Meriden, CT USA asks...

When a player is injured on the feild should all the other players 'take a knee' and wait for the injured player to be escorted off the field?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Some coaches ask them to do this. It always seem silly to me. I think it is something they remember (or wished they remember) from US football. High school US football coaches, however, think it came from soccer.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

With young players, 'take a knee' keeps them from crowding around the injured player. That may be why it started. It also seems to be a sign of respect for the injured player.

But there is no requirement to do so, and sometimes it can be detrimental. On a cold damp day, it is not good to crouch on the ground - it's much better to keep moving around to keep the muscles working. On a hot day, the other players can take a chance to get a drink at the sidelines.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Beth
That is not part of the Laws and IMO it is not connected with the game of soccer nor good practise.
What happens is that the referee ensures that the 'injured' player leaves the field of play and play restarts when that is completed. No need to do anything else.
If a player requires attention then he asks the referee for permission to leave the field of play for treatment. Coaches believe that if a player goes down on the ground that play must be stopped but that is incorrect. The game is only stopped for serious injuries.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Taking a knee is not part of the Laws of the Game - never has been. A lot of youth teams do this, for reasons I have never understood, but generally it is harmless. Instead, they should go get a quick drink of water, or check with teammates on assignments, or get ready for the restart.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 25588