Question Number: 35350

Law 3 - The Players 2/10/2024

RE: Middle School NFHS/TASO Regulations Under 14

Bibiana Armenta of San Antonio, TX United States asks...

After overtime is finished and still tied, can the forward player take the position of the Goalkeeper during the penalty shootout?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Bibiana,
Yes ANY of the 11 designated players on the field of play at the end of the match can become the keeper.
They simply need to let the referee know it will be so.
At youth often a good athlete might excel at various positions and the center forward who scores the goals might well be the quickest to react in goal as well. Aside from the fact any player on the field can participate as the keeper IF there are still substitution options it is also possible if the keeper was to be or claim injury a substitute keeper could come in from the technical bench area! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bibiana
Thanks for the question.
Yes any player on the field of play at the final whistle can put on the goalkeeper jersey and go into goal.
I have seen it happen many times at Underage where a team decides that an outfield player is a better shot stopper than the goalkeeper used during the game.

In fact it can even be necessary in a goalkeeper injury situation where there has to be a change.

Obviously it does not happen in the Pro game. What I have seen is teams substituting the match goalkeeper with the substitute goalkeeper who is considered a better penalty stopper. That can only happen if a team has not used all it allowed substitutes and it happens before the final whistle.