Soccer is the most popular game in the world, so it must have rules everyone can agree on. Yet, the offside rules in soccer are those odd ones grownups always argue about.
In comparison, you do not see them arguing about where to start the game. No, the offside rule is about cheating. Let’s see how silly and unfair it can get without the offside rule.
What Does Offside Mean in Soccer?
An offside is short for an offside offense. It is committed when a player is both in an offside position and interferes with the game. Although these names are difficult, they mean simple things.
To be in an offside position means to hang around near the opponent’s goal. And this kind of behavior has always been deemed unfair.
After all, you do it to try and catch the goalie on a mistake, which is boring. So it became a rule that doing so is both unfair and can be punished. But for this to happen, you need to interfere with the game.
This odd phrase means two even odder things. First, it means touching the ball when the game is on, but you are offside. Second, it means moving strangely to prevent your opponent from touching the ball. And you cannot write something like that in the official rules.
Otherwise, who would take them seriously? So they say, “interfering with the game.” To sum up, an offside offense is an unfair behavior that makes the game boring.
Can You Be Offside From A Goal Kick?
No, you cannot. Though the rules don’t explain why it is so, we can try to think about it. Being offside is unfair because then you’re trying to catch the goalie on a mistake. Sure, we all make mistakes, but nobody makes a big deal every time.
Yet, that’s what a player in an offside position tries to do. They try to catch the opposing goalie. And how can it be either fair or fun?
The Reason There Is No Offside Offense at a Goal Kick
A soccer match would look very weird if there was one. Imagine a goal kick where the attacking team with the ball wants to run forward and score a goal. But look, the defending team can easily stop that.
If they bunch up near the attackers’ goal, they have done it. Then any attacking player who runs forward is instantly in an offside position. So the goalie can only pass the ball very close to their own goal.
The ball can be easily intercepted, and that’s it! The defenders scored because they abused the offside rule. So no, you cannot be offside at a goal kick.
Can You Be Offside From a Drop Goal Kick Out of Hands?
You cannot be offside from a drop goal kick out of hands. Actually, it is not a big deal when the goalie kicks the ball that way in soccer. It is much like Tuesdays.
And it is because a drop kick is a regular event that you cannot be offside. The basic reason is that the goalie is free to do anything. But there is more.
The rules actually protect them from attack when they release the ball into play. So when they do it poorly, and the ball comes to the opponent, that’s a big mistake.
And the striker from the other team has all the right to try to score a goal. So there is no offside because it’s fair to catch a big mistake by a goalie.
When Can You Not Be Offside?
There are certain phases in soccer where you might not be offside, even if you think it is. Here are the conditions that are not offside:
Offside at a Corner kick
You cannot be offside at a corner kick. But we can look at it from the point of fairness. At a corner kick, the ball is close to the goal line but very far from the goal.
One attacking player has to pass it back, but is it unfair for an attacker to pass the ball back? No, if the attacker came that far with the ball, they can play it any way they like. In other words, if the attackers try very hard, then it is fair.
Offside at a Throw-in
It is not possible to be offside at a throw-in. If we compare a throw-in with a corner kick, we can see why. First, you cannot throw a ball farther than you can kick it. Second, you are always farther from the opponent’s goal at a throw-in than at a corner kick.
To sum up, it is more difficult for you to score from a throw-in. So it would be unfair to the attackers to be penalized for an offside during a throw-in. After all, their opponents wouldn’t be penalized for it during their corner kick. So there is no offside at a throw-in to even things out.
Can You Be Offside on a Goalie Punt?
No, you cannot commit an offside offense on a goalie punt. It is because soccer does not view goalie punts as special.
Both the goalie punt and the drop goal kick out of hands are the same situation in soccer. More than that, it isn’t even a special situation but a routine play. So, as was said before, there is no offside offense on a goalie punt.
FAQs
When did the offside rule come in?
It has been there since the beginning. But back then, it was somewhat different. After all, it isn’t a simple rule that says you cannot touch the ball with your hands.
No, the offside rules have to do with fairness, and people always argue about that. So people keep trying to find ways to make it as fair as possible.
When can you not be offside in football?
The rules are very clear. If you do not touch the ball, the game shouldn’t be stopped because you forgot to run back, which is obvious. And the other three situations have to do with specifics.
Offsides don’t work during corners, throw-ins, and goal kicks, but they resume working when someone touches the ball. So in these four situations, there is no offside.
Can you be offsides on a free kick in soccer?
Yes, you can. There is nothing in the rules against that. After all, the attackers are far from the goal, so they must keep trying to score. There should be no reason to make their job easier. Otherwise, why play?
Can you be offside from a free kick in your own half?
Yes, you can. As with any free kick, the attackers need to try harder. So it would be unfair to the defenders to stop the offside rule for free kicks.
Conclusion
To sum up, without the offside rules, soccer would be boring. Without them, the game would be a cheating fest with grownups in silly shorts. Although hard to understand at first, the offside rules can always be checked online.
