Question Number: 31102

Law 11 - Offside 12/10/2016

RE: Competive Adult

Ayman of Cairo, Egypt asks...

I ask if that goal is offside?

Could we considered offside because the players second and third confused the goalkeeper by their participation in the game?

We saw a player at (00:27 second) sent ball towards 3 player in front of goal keeper as below :

- 1st player is not in offside position and he scoored
- 2nd player is in offside position
- 3rd player is in offside position

Link : https://youtu.be/ZtToy2i_2R8

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ayman
Under the current interpretation of the Laws of the Game there is no offside here. The player that scores was in an onside position and the players in offside positions do not interfere with play or an opponent in that they do not challenge the goalkeeper nor interfere with line of sight nor touch the ball.
Always remember that the opening line of Law 11 Offside states that it is NOT an offence to be in an offside position so the player has to do something more. That something more is defined in the advice to referees and Law 11 was correctly applied here.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Ayman,
you need to grasp the terms and criteria of offside, the player who scored was NOT offside. Your concern that the two offside players interfered with the keeper by their PROXIMITY and trying to get involved is not a valid perception because they do NOT prevent the keeper from challenging for the ball or block his line of sight. In other words they are not ABLE to BE involved despite the very real view they most certainly would have tried to play that ball if they could. I think it is why viewers such as yourself are confused by the fact the offside positioned players (OPPs) are trying to get involved but are considered NOT to be involved because they FAILED to do so! As my colleagues point out offside position is only a restriction it is not an infraction unless they affect the play in a true meaningful way. To claim their proximity and movement is involvement thus punishable simply does not fit the standards we apply to ACTUAL involvement.

I recall an OPP who was way offside running into the goal lunging forward and sticking out the leg the incoming shot by his teammate bounced off the ground and over top of his foot by about an inch, into the corner of the goal. My AR had his flag up and of course the scored upon team thought it was no goal . I waved my AR off and indicated a goal. My AR and the opposing player were most vexed. It was OBVIOUS the offside attacking player was trying to play the ball ,trying to deflect it into the goal. The point was, although he did try and the ball was in the goal, he NEVER actually TOUCHED that ball, albeit not for the lack of trying lol The keeper was facing away from him, trying to stop the incoming shot. Although he knew the offside player was in behind him the keeper CAN NOT worry or care but then the keeper thoughts are his own to manage, a referee does NOT care what players think only what they do!
Cheers and Merry Christmas