Question Number: 34542

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 3/27/2022

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

Hello,

one simple situation, please.

The player heads the ball and then the opponent hits the player's head with his head.

Is it foul? It seems to me that the referees usually let it be.

Thank you very much!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr
It is an offence for me in that the opponent has been careless in the challenge for the ball.
Most times when I see this a foul is called with play being stopped fairly quickly for head contact. Sometimes the contact might not be discernible at speed and to decide who has headed who.
It is an offence and it should be called. It is generally careless so no card is required. However if it is reckless then a caution is required.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Petr,
It is a physical game and often if there is a challenge in a simultaneous jump off versus a late arrival, more of a a 50/50 ball with equal opportunity & both players go up at the same time but one a bit taller or faster or leans in and moves the other away just that tiny bit we might not see it as a definitive foul but the safety issue of course stops play.
I tend to agree with my colleague its likely at minimum a careless foul if one player clearly heads the ball and if the other simply clatters into the other with no chance of that ball hitting his own head it could lead to caution or send off.
It a matter of timing, the force used considering circumstances where arms interlock, elbows are tossed or eyes are closed as well.
Cheers PS YAY CANADA we are in the world cup for the fisrt time in 36 years GO Canada! lol

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Petr,
I think this is again, one of those cases that is very difficult to judge without seeing an actually incident take place.

While I would agree that if there is a foul when this happens, it is more often by the opponent than by the player heading the ball, it could sometimes go the other way.

Each individual case has to be judged on its merits.

I also agree with ref McHugh that when this happens a foul usually is called and if one (or both) of the players go down with a head injury, then play is almost without exception, stopped for the clash of heads.

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