Question Number: 35157

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/15/2023

RE: Under 15

Larry of Danville, California United States asks...

Hi guys. I am interested in your thoughts as to when a goal keeper is considered to have possession of the ball. Such as:
When they have one finger on the top of the ball that is on the ground?
When their foot/leg is on top of the ball?
When the ball is between their legs that are squeezing the ball?
As always, thanks for your work.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Larry
Thanks for the question.
The law book sets out clearly when a goalkeeper has control of the ball and I quote
**A goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball with the hand(s) when:
# the ball is between the hands or between the hand and any surface (e.g. ground, own body) or by touching it with any part of the hands or arms, except if the ball rebounds from the goalkeeper or the goalkeeper has made a save
# holding the ball in the outstretched open hand
# bouncing it on the ground or throwing it in the air
A goalkeeper cannot be challenged by an opponent when in control of the ball with the hand(s).**

So in your examples a finger / hand on top of the ball is control
A foot or leg on top of the ball is not control
In the situation where the ball is between the legs of the goalkeeper it is not much of a stretch for a hand to be included making it control so I would suggest intervening there if there is a threat to getting kicked. It is highly unlikely that a goalkeeper is going to lose control of the ball between the legs.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Larry,
we appreciate the kind words
Keeper position is a difficult one . Last line of defence, Stop the ball from entering the goal by any means possible including sliding or diving into the feet of onrushing opponents. The LOTG recognized that fighting for ball control was causing issues. where one player aka the keeper could pick it up and the opponents trying to challenge could not. In years past you could actually legally shoulder charge a keeper inside their own goal area. Many a goal scored by barging a keeper across the goal line under the cross bar and between the posts while he held the ball. For a year or so you could even head the ball out of his hand as long as it was done safely.
All that is now finished with, the keeper has 6 seconds at least, to hold on to or control the ball with the hands and NO opponent can do squat about it. In fact it is a caution for USB to interfere with that release. My esteemed colleague Ref McHugh highlighted current LOTG wording indicating this 6 seconds of complete unhindered control .

Now there is a difference between a keeper lying on the ball or squeezing it between the legs and even jumping up with hands above the head as opposed to actually holding or controlling the ball . While an opponent can CHALLENGE for such balls they -must- consider the safety of the keeper! PIADM is a definite possibility as is creating DFK contact that is ONLY to disrupt or possibly injure the keeper, not get to the ball fairly. Any opposition slide tackle with extend leg and foot as a keeper is bent over to grab the ball better occur a good distance away as the keeper is at risk of breaking his fingers or suffering a follow through injury because once the ball and hand meet, the opponent CAN NOT challenge and needs to break off any such endeavour. They cannot do that while being a hurtling missile into the guts of a keeper or start a kicking motion just as the keeper is in the process of grabbing it.

Now if you have advantageous position under the ball and jump up, only to have a keeper reach over, you might get a call in your favour if he holds you down, their arms pressing down on your shoulders.
Yet you can not generally charge the keeper ahead of his getting his hands on the high ball given his ARM reach and his shoulders are not accessible, if you are in under the armpit.

If the ball winds up trapped beneath the keeper or is squeezed between the legs, you might try to fish it out safely using a sole roll or a toe flick. However, although the chances of PIADM in your favour might occur if they remain on top of the ball , you start kicking away, then instead of a possible INDFK for you, you give up a DFK to them. Keep in mind the keeper, in fact any player, has the right to shield the ball as they get up. Prolonged laying on a ball with no effort to get up can result in a PIADM foul or a USB stoppage!
Cheers