Question Number: 15077

Law 11 - Offside 3/29/2007

RE: Competitive Under 19

Laura Lee Figueroa of Riverside, California USA asks...

IF the goalie comes out of the large area and begins to play as a player, when is the opponent team player offsides? In other words, one of the opponent players is passed the defense of the other team and recieves the ball while the goalie is out of the box is there an offsides?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Laura,
let me try and make this simple
there are 11 opponents one who is a keeper
the laws says
A player is in an offside position if:
he is nearer to his opponents? goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent.
A player is not in an offside position if
he is in his own half of the field of play or
he is level with the second last opponent or
he is level with the last two opponents.

a keeper is often the last opponent by nature of his position but any of the ten teammates can be that last opponent. The keeper could be the 2nd last opponent he could be the 3rd 4th 5 th 6 th heck he can even score a goal at the opposing end of the field as the 11th.

My advise consider the keeper as but one of 11 players for offside and simply recognize the reality he most often is one of the two last opponents but he is NOT ALWAYS !
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Ref Dawson is correct - Law 11 says 2 opponents, not one defender plus one goalkeeper. Let me just say that the in first game where an AR sees the keeper comes out, it really gets confusing to keep track of the offside line! With a little experience, it merely becomes another one of those things you have to keep in mind.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

It is always based on where the 2nd to last defender is. Usually that 2nd to last defender is the player in front of keeper, but not always.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

As a goalkeeper I used to love trapping unwary forwards offside by stepping beyond my last fullback. I would always look toward the linesman and see if he knew what I was doing! If he knew the Law I would continue. If he stood there with a blank look... oops

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Laura,

As a former goalkeeper I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that "goalkeepers are players too!"

Other than that, I think it's all been covered quite well by the other answers.