The goalkeeper has a special function on a soccer team. He (gender non-specific) should be thought of as a regular field player with special capabilities only within his team's penalty area. That is, the goalkeeper is not restricted to stay in the penalty area. He may go anywhere. When the ball is outside of his penalty area, however, he is restricted to the same limitations as a field player. There are many provisions in the laws that are goalkeeper specific.
A deliberate deflection or parry of an opponent's shot is considered control. A referee may allow the keeper to pick up a parry with his hands if no advantage is gained and the ball is close to the goalkeepers original position. However, the referee may also consider this ball to have been put back into play, as well.
Once the ball is back into play, the goalkeeper may not touch it with his hands (or arms) until another player has touched the ball; however, he can play it at any time with his foot, etc.
The opponents will receive an indirect free kick if the goalkeeper commits an infraction that is not against an opponent. This type of offense would include too many steps after gaining control of the ball, handling a teammate's direct pass back (kicked or thrown) or handling a ball that is play in the penalty area before another player touches.
As stated above, other than those offenses that are specifically related to the goalkeeper such as handling the ball in his area, the keeper is just like another field player and subject to the same offenses in favor of and against. However, it would be unrealistic not to consider some prevailing practices by referees which tend to favor the goalkeeper in the way the rules are practically administered. For example, because the goalkeeper often must put himself into a dangerous situation to make a save, the referee will rarely cite the goalkeeper for playing dangerously.
Secondly, a few rules provisions specially favor goalkeepers. For example, a field player cannot prevent or disrupt the goalkeeper from putting the ball into play.
The following questions have been divided into three areas (some of which overlap slightly):
Yes, if the ball was not deliberately kicked or thrown-in by a teammate. If a teammate did deliberately play it, the goalkeeper cannot handle the ball. He can kick it, chest trap it, etc.
Perhaps not. The referee may determine the ball has been put back into play with a controlled parry of the shot. An IFK from the spot where the goalkeeper handled the ball a second time (*) would be given to the other team. However, intent is a judgment call based on the skill level of the goalkeeper and the referee may choose just to warn the goalkeeper the first time if the goalkeeper does not gain too much of an advantage from his parry.
A goalkeeper should not be allowed to take more than 4 steps. The referee may not be counting some initial steps after a pickup or he may choose to warn the goalkeeper on some initial violations before giving the opponents an indirect free kick at the spot of the fifth step. Realistically, most referees are not real picky on this, unless a goalkeeper is extremely blatant and consistant.
Goalkeepers should be trained to run through the ball. Referees should allow some leeway on this. However, two or three steps should be ample enough follow through on a low pick up. If the goalkeeper seems to be gaining too much of an advantage, the referee may tell the goalkeeper he will start the step count a little sooner on the next pick up.
The intention of the rule was to not allow the goalkeeper a free run out to the near the 18 to distribute the ball. If the tiny steps do not gain much distance or advantage, then they can and should be overlooked. However, some referees are "bean counters." If warned, the goalkeeper better heed the advice.
Just because the goalkeeper is out of position, there should not be any unnecessary delay to the fouled team from taking the free kick. The goalkeeper was trying to gain time to get back to his goal, therefore the caution was warranted. Note, if the referee initially indicated the wrong direction, it is hoped that he would allow the defending team a chance to recover.
There is a common misconception about this amongst coaches and referees. This law is written to address the situation of a player already on the field switching jerseys with the goalkeeper during play or a brief stoppage. It is important that the referee realizes this change is taking place for the same reason he has to be notified of any other substitution. A substitution from the halfway or at halftime should not require any extra notification. Having noted this misconception, however, it may be a good habit for a coach to always notify the referee of any goalkeeper changes.
Yes.
Yes, the goalkeeper can grab the ball immediately after it moves on a legally taken free kick. In fact, the goalkeeper is may be the best defender to charge the ball (assuming it is played short). As with any other defender, the goalkeeper must be at least 10 yards away from the ball or standing on the goalline between the posts.
It certainly would be if the goalkeepers hands were in contact with the ball when it was wholly across the penalty area boundary. However, the ball release from a running goalkeeper occurs much sooner than the point from where the ball is kicked. In other words, in many cases the ball is released from the hand(s) before it is past the line.
Absolutely. The goalkeeper never was in totally control of the ball when the ball touched his hands. The goalkeeper could have dribble the ball anywhere including outside of the penalty area, back into the penalty area and then picked it up.
After the referee stopped play, the ball must be put back into play with a drop ball. If the referee does a drop ball with an opponent present, the goalkeeper can participate and handle the ball after the bounce if in the penalty area. Hopefully, the referee will do a drop ball with only the goalkeeper present, thus allowing play to continue as if it were not stopped. There law on drop balls does not mandate the drop ball be performed in the presence of both teams.
He may be running time off the clock, but he is not necessarily guilty of delaying. The goalkeeper is only mandated to get the ball into play within a reasonable amount of time (5-6 seconds) when he has control of the ball. In this case, control will not be until he picks the ball up. It may be up to the opponents to force him to do that. Of course, it is within the referee's right to determine delay of the game at any time.
The goalkeeper can do just about anything he wants with the ball when in control, as long as he does not put it back into play. However, when the ball is temporarily out of the control of the goalkeeper (i.e., during a bounce or toss in the air), the ball is "up for grabs" by an opportunistic opponent. The referee may also determine the attacker is guilty of dangerous play or preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball into play as well.
In both cases, the goalkeeper's touch was the touch by a second player that was needed to allow a goal to be scored; therefore, the goal counts and the defending team will kickoff.
This is acceptable as long as the referee does not consider this a controlled parry or deflection.
It is only a goal if the whole ball was past the vertical line that runs up from the outside edge of the goalline. It does not matter where the goalkeeper stands, only the position of the ball matters.
Goal. The defenders must kick off.
As the goalkeeper did not purposefully release the ball from his possession on the dropped throw and if it was near the goalkeeper, the referee may allow play to continue. However, if the dropped ball was half thrown or if the ball traveled a good distance after the drop, the referee may decide the ball was released into play and give an indirect free kick to the opponents where he picked it up a second time (see note).
The goalkeeper should be called for handling and a direct free kick be given to the opponents at the point where the ball left the penalty area. The goalkeeper may be booked for at least unsporting behavior if the referee feels his illegal play was deliberate.
It is difficult to know what is in a referee's mind. Many coaches explain to the goalkeeper that any ball that is played directly back to them with the foot is one that the goalkeeper should not touch with the hands or arms. However, if the goalkeeper definitely feels the ball was not deliberately passed to him, such as a mis-kick, then he should be able to handle it without referee retribution. For instance, if the teammate tried to clear a ball up field and it deflected off his foot back to the goalkeeper, this would certainly not be construed as a deliberate attempt at a pass back. When in doubt the goalkeeper should clear the ball without handling it. Of course, any throw-in from a teammate is off-limits.
If the goalkeeper can't get to it with any other part of the body, then by all means he should grab it. It is better to give up an indirect free kick to the opponents at the point of the catch (*), than to allow a goal.
No. The goalkeeper cannot handle a ball deliberately kicked to him without it touching another player or going out of play. It does not matter where on the field the goalkeeper receives the ball passed to him.
He probably shouldn't. Even though the ball touched another player, most referees will recognize the original pass as the being a deliberate play back to the goalkeeper and will not wave it off due to an accidental touch by a teammate.
Yes. Since, an opponent touched the ball before the goalkeeper was able to handle it, this would be enough to nullify the deliberate pass back by a teammate.
If the goalkeeper can easily play the ball away, then that probably should be his choice. If there is a good chance the goalkeeper's clearing kick may bounce off another player (back into the goal), then the goalkeeper may be better off picking up the ball and hope the referee does not call a pass back infraction. The rules specifically state the ball must be kicked (i.e., played with the foot). However, some referees view the lower leg as part of the foot. In a situation such as this, the referee may not be able to see how the ball was played. Also, he may not be able to determine the intent of the defender when the ball came off his leg. Lots of gray area here and either a called foul or a play on is possible.
Maybe. The referee can whistle an offense anytime he considers a player is using trickery, regardless of the goalkeeper's actions. However, he may wait to see if the goalkeeper handles the ball before assessing a penalty. Rest assured that the teammate(s) who tried the trick probably will be watched closely by the referee for the rest of the game.
Often, the goalkeeper is allowed a little more freedom in his domain. For instance, the goalkeeper is allowed to put himself in certain dangerous situations (e.g., diving to the ball at the feet of an attacker) that field players would be called for fouling. In his penalty area, the goalkeeper probably is allowed to cause more contact in tight situations; however, every referee has his tolerance limit and goalkeepers are expected to abide by the law as well as field players. A goalkeeper foul usually means a PK, whereas a foul on the attacker is just a free kick from the defensive end. Therefore, the referee may not choose to call some fouls on the goalkeeper.
This would be unsporting behavior if a field player distracted his opponent with a loud yell; however, it is often considered to be allowable communication if a goalkeeper does it. Now if the goalkeeper said "leave it" in an attempt to fake the attacker into thinking that comment came from a teammate, then that would be reason for a caution for unsporting behavior.
It is illegal to impede an opponent. If the attacker's only purpose is to block the goalkeeper from the ball, without trying to play the ball himself, then this is an offense.
The goalkeeper is now allowed to move along the goal line before the kick is taken. The goalkeeper still cannot come forward off the line until the ball is kicked. The referee may consider some disruptive acts to be unsporting behavior, and give the player a caution [yellow card].
As long as the goalkeeper did not grab at or reach up for the attacker after playing the ball the play should be allowed to continue. By playing the ball first, the goalkeeper made a legal play.
The goalkeeper should be ejected and play should be restarted with a penalty kick, as the foul originated inside the penalty area. Even if the ball did not hit the attacker, it is considered an attempt to strike, which is a penal foul and violent conduct.
Actually, with the new laws (1997), referees are specifically directed to penalize any attacker that changes a goalkeeper in a careless or reckless manner or with excessive force, regardless of the location of the goalkeeper or the presence of ball.
This is unsporting behavior on the attacker's part. The goalkeeper may need to hold his temper until the referee deals with the situation. If the referee continues to allow this to occur, the team captain may to ask the referee to be more aware of the intimidation tactics of the other team.
As long as there is some part of the goalkeeper's body (hand, fingertip, chest, nose, etc.) is touching the ball, the ball can be considered to be in the possession of the goalkeeper. However, if the goalkeeper is not touching the ball, the ball is fair game for an opponent, assuming the opponent is not playing dangerously (e.g., a high kick near the goalkeeper).
Though goalkeepers are often in seemingly dangerous situation, they are usually trained in doing this in a manner that provides protection. Since the attacker was the one that generated the dangerous situation while the goalkeeper was vulnerable, he should be whistled for playing in a dangerous manner and an indirect free kick be given to the goalkeeper's team at the spot of the foul (see note below).
This is a tough call for the referee. The goalkeeper is responsible for maintaining possession. However, once the goalkeeper has possession of the ball, the attacker is not allowed to dislodge it. Often play will continue, however, if there is any action by the attacker once the ball is in the goalkeeper's possession, a foul will be called.
Because the goalkeeper is considered to be in possession if any part of his hand or arm is touching the ball. The attacker cannot kick the ball out of the goalkeeper's possession.
A field player is not allowed to prevent the goalkeeper from putting the ball back into play.
Yes, this would be the correct call, even though this is often not called between two field players. This is a serious foul, because the goalkeeper must be able to use his hands and the attacker intentionally hooked the arm.
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