Question Number: 14848

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/15/2007

Dean E Milner of Midlothian, Texas USA asks...

Can a goal keeper receive a pass from a teammate outside of the penalty area and dribble back into the penalty area and pick up the ball with his hands? Or, can he steal a ball from an opponent outside the penalty area and do the same? Let me know. Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

He CAN do either of these things. However, if he receives the pass from a teammate and does this, the result will be an IFK for his opponents at the spot he handles the ball subject to the Special Circumstances of law 8.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Not if the pass was a kick to the keeper deliberatly (with the foot). Yes he can steal it, dribble it back in, and pick it up.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Dean,
lets get a few facts straight nothing in law prevents the keeper from leaving his penalty area and retreiving the ball with his feet.
The keeper can dribble the ball in and out of his penalty area as much as he likes with no breech of law.

As we all know the keeper has the special distinction of being able to use his hands to stop or play the ball inside his own area. What is unclear to many there are FOUR restrictions that prevent the keeper from doing so inside his own penalty area. Outside his area any deliberate handling by a keeper is a DFK same for any other of the 21 players.

To be clear none of the restrictions are involving a ball recieved off or from an opponent. Nor is the fact he retrieves the ball outside or accepts it inside his penalty area with his feet stop him from eventually using his hands inside his penalty area later if he chooses.

Quote FIFA law 12
"An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following four offences:
takes more than six seconds while controlling the ball with his hands before releasing it from his possession

touches the ball again with his hands after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any other player

touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate

touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate"
end quote.

Once a keeper uses his hands to control or gain posession of the ball inside his penalty area he has 6 seconds to release that ball back into play and cannot use his hands again until another player has made contact with the ball.

You will notice the last two items deal with a deliberate kick and a direct throw in from a teammate to a keeper. In previous years this was a tactical time wasting ploy which has since been rectified by the inclusion of a INDFK and loss of posession for doing so.

The illegal concept is not the PASS it is the deliberate kick that makes the keeper's use of the hands illegal. ANY pass that comes from a different body part like the head or chest as an example have no restrictions placed on the keeper's use of hands. Also it is important to distinguish the difference of a deflection even if off the foot of a teammate as it was NOT deliberate again the keeper should not be punished for illegal use of hands.

There is a faint possibility that a teammate might try to circumvent this law in spririt by being cute like flipping the ball up to his head with his feet or able to play the ball with his feet he kneels on the ground and uses his head or knees to knock the ball to his keeper! This is an automatic INDFK and the keeper does not even NEED to be quilty of illegal handling it is the MISCONDUCT being punished!

Quote FIFA Law 12
" Decision 3
Subject to the terms of Law 12 , a player may pass the ball to his own goalkeeper using his head or chest or knee, etc. If, however, in the opinion of the referee, a player uses a deliberate trick while the ball is in play in order to circumvent the Law, the player is guilty of unsporting behaviour. He is cautioned, shown the yellow card and an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team from the place where the infringement occurred. "
Cheers