Debunking Football's Offside Rule Myths

Since the Football Association first penned the Laws of the Game in 1863, no law has been more controversial than the offside rule.
With the advent of VAR, that is as true now as it has ever been, but in this video HITC Sevens addresses some of the mistruths that have been spread about offsides over the years, and the impact the rule has had upon the history of the sport.

[@MichaelM-wd5yi]

Look at the Bundesliga VAR! They take the clearest picture and judge it from the naked eye, not draw 12 lines to determine the strikers left pinky toenail is offside by a blade of grass... much better use of VAR!

[@aryanparikh9780]

Exactly . Var in England is a joke

[@3dsaulgoodman43]

The Bundesliga is the perfect league. Too bad Bayern wins it every year...

[@Eddy-dn1jx]

As someone who streams 7 of the 8 matches each week, and watches the other one live, I don't understand how you guys have a problem with it. The ref needs to use the monitor, and like you said get rid of the 5 minutes of moving lines. It's really confusing how it's been an issue. It's the first year though. If it's a problem next year then your FA is retarded I guess.

[@Eddy-dn1jx]

@@3dsaulgoodman43 That's just the cherry on top, my friend (;

[@sataniccyanide6976]

@@3dsaulgoodman43 the epls the perfect league, too bad only 5 Tim have won it in that last 20 years

[@nehix]

Omfg if it was called sneaking 💀 “Oh he’s definitely sneaking there” “This player keeps sneaking” “VAR is checking a possible sneaking”

[@majd13an]

In Arabic we still call it "tasallol" which means sneaking

[@NWA-TjalfeTooStonedToAim]

In Denmark we used to call this "fishing" when i was a kid/teen in the 80s and 90s

[@nepiris]

In Scotland it's called poaching.

[@LukeDHarrison2002]

goalhanging where I’m from

[@JarlQ]

Is it true that Filipo Inzaghi was born offside or is that just a myth as well?

[@thomasmuller6301]

The worst for me is when people say that Pele didn’t play in a league with the offside rule, horrendous

[@thomasmuller6301]

Didn’t realise that you’d talk about that since I said this at the start of the video, apologies

[@closethedoornow7538]

Thomas Muller maybe delete it then lol

[@kamrany.5052]

I wanan see how pele would do if he played at clubs that Maradona played at

[@kamrany.5052]

@@JM-tj5qm No I am just saying. I am not saying Maradona was better. I just wanted to know how Pele would play like if he joined clubs like FCB, Napoli, etc. No hate to Pele.

[@bpf10]

@mab m Im pretty sure this very channel has a video which debunks that statement

[@semiruu]

Interesting to hear where the term "offside" in English apparently is derived from. In German its "Abseits" and loosely translates to "in the beyond".

[@sebv1086]

The term most definitely doesn't come from that bizarre explanation at the start of the video.

[@barmanitan]

@@sebv1086 How do you know? That's a pretty bold assertion...

[@sebv1086]

FFS. Bwahahaha!

[@barmanitan]

@@sebv1086 You say it as if it's obvious and yet you give no indication as to where else it could have come from...

[@Kavafy]

@@barmanitan It just means on the wrong side - why is a weird etymology even needed?

[@kylechallis806]

Do 7 best European teams never to play in the champions league

[@FloatingOnAZephyr]

That 1956 change must have been absolutely huge. Imagine seeing a striker is going to receive a long ball and just running up the pitch to make sure he's offside when it reaches him.

[@blaisekgosi17]

I recommend 7 greatest football matches of all time

[@Jeremia1]

Can't, we'll need many parts

[@Jeremia1]

But the game when Iraq won the final in the Asian tournament, that's a top 10 for sure

[@honestpenaldo]

1. Italy vs germany 1970 2. Liverpool vs milan 2005 3. Tottenham vs manchester city 2019

[@Yusni-bc2cm]

Miracle of Bern.

[@FORZAPOTENZA]

Video idea - Best captain in every position (or an XI of captains)

[@michaelfisher7159]

5:14 *Eric Dier has left the chat*

[@bananaben366]

Do a history of the goalkeeper position

[@siggiooo5330]

Lev yashin Manuel neuer That's pretty much the history of goalkeeping

[@DanteTheIguana]

Another stellar video Alfie, really interesting. I know these kinds of videos maybe don't do as well as others, but its the long-term knowledge and history of football you're so excellent at providing that really make this channel stand out from so many others on KZbin. Can only hope your boss keeps giving you the greenlight!

[@saijnx]

Why don't these videos get as many views man these are one of the best video categories I love from HITC sevens

[@jonlinin9682]

Hockey also had an offside rule similar to football. They got rid of it completely in the 90's ! There was about half a season of very high scoring games before every team worked out how to manage the situation, then things pretty much returned to normal, but without the fuss and nonsense of offside. Why not just trial it in a semi pro league and see how it goes ?

[@lprgeddes2017]

I love that Pepe and Henry reference! Legendary subtle humour from Alfie there!

[@jonpool9030]

Long overdue video. Educating the 10 through 15 year old 'football fan' is essential

[@archstanton6102]

But they know everything on every subject

[@ryansmith-jr4gn]

The average 10-15 year old probably knows more than you two.

[@jonpool9030]

@@ryansmith-jr4gn probably but I know you don't

[@archstanton6102]

@@ryansmith-jr4gn And your evidence for this is what? Having been to 4 WC finals - 1st in 1998 and 4 European Nations Finals competitions and watched football in over 30 countries I know a bit about football.

[@ryansmith-jr4gn]

@@archstanton6102 did I hit a nerve there?

[@m4ck02]

These are the best type of videos on the channel imo.

[@dantespina7398]

Thank you this video is very useful, especially for something not native to the game. Amazing, Alfie.

[@MichaelM-wd5yi]

Maybe actually watch the video first...

[@firegodmiguel]

So much shade thrown in this video and I absolutely love it 😂😂😂

[@wgb01001]

“...and Gary Lineker.” 😆😆😆

[@BurnRoddy]

I'm Uruguayan. We eat and breethe football so I knew all of this. I'm so glad somebody finally has made a video about it. Thank you.

[@iceman4660]

This was very informative

[@ztnjv]

I think offside, like any rule in any sport, should be geared toward maximum ease of judgment and transparency. More than ever with VAR, I believe offside should be reworked to judge onside as being when having any body part in line with the defender. It’s easier to look if anybody part is even then seeing if one body part is beyond. It also encourages more attacking football which is not a bad thing. If people find that too extreme, then I think at least just the body trunk is what should be looked at

[@Prometheus4096]

Why would that be more transparent? You realize it will allow attackers to be ahead of defenders at the moment offside is judged, right? And you will have all the same issues judging offside as currently. Is it really easier for the software algorithm to draw lines? if anything, you rework the rule so the software and line drawing works better. Any other rule change is silly. As for which body part, maybe the best body part for judging would be the center point between the hips. But can the software deal with that? It will resolve players leaning either side, or arms or the effect of gait cycle, etc.

[@sandyjack5094]

Great stuff the military connection is pretty interesting

[@TheWolfXCIX]

Great video alfie, thanks :)

[@paradoxr.n.o8688]

Thank you for this video

[@Oliver-ew5fs]

Are you allowed to use Getty images if you put the credit in the corner ?

[@lovefan7694]

Okay but is the armpit part of the arm though?

[@elwellstreet111]

Good video, I think we should call offsides 'sneaking' again

[@hyperswanton1585]

Who else hates var offsides by a pixel

[@MichaelM-wd5yi]

Yes, very unfair!

[@romiarkan450]

Same here. It's literally marginal just let it go. VAR is supposed to fix the blatantly missed calls not the ones which have the benefit of the doubt.

[@footballnerd277]

@@romiarkan450 The problem with that is how marginal does it have to be for them to let it go? How far offside do you have to be to be given as offside?

[@juhRave]

They pull that out when the big teams concede. It’s a joke, they need to give the benefit of doubt to attacker imo.

[@juhRave]

They pull that out when the big teams concede. It’s a joke, they need to give the benefit of doubt to attacker imo.

[@michaelmetcalfe4882]

Cool video and something to point people towards when they say "x player played before the offside rule" rather than typing out a long and probably pointless reply. Some of the history here is slightly different than I understood it, though it is mostly minor quibbles - Chapman inventing the Centre Back, not the Centre Half, Rugby irrecoverably splitting from Association Football because the Rugby authorities DIDN'T want hacking and the FA, at least at that time, did (take away any of the manly toughness of the game and even the French might get good at it, they worried), and things equally minor.

[@sherlockholmes1074]

Please make a detailed video on offside rule.

[@mackenzief5280]

so much shade being given this video xD

[@LifenKnight]

I would allow for volleys or headed to not be offside, until the ball touches the ground. And kind of gives us a reason to play Head and Vs Edit: Would Also, only counts grounds if the ball has touches the ground or net. (Or is touching a player whos touching the ground or net) similar to basketball Edit: With adding the fact that the balls not out until it hits the ground, to match the goal rules. Edit: Adding a Half field violation, stopping the ball from being passed back passed the half way line, after any player has passes or moved the ball pass the half way line. (Leading to a free kick)

[@ShubhamGupta-rt2cv]

09:55 Was there a offside rule change in 1965 as well?

[@KTDama]

The Gary Lineker jab 💀 😂

[@dwsoccer6859]

An interesting video and I would say mostly accurate however I think it gets one point quite badly wrong. It says that it wasn't until 1956 that the IFAB was decided that offside should be judged at the time a team mate plays the ball, not when the player receives it. The strange thing is, earlier in the video it actually alludes to the fact that this was already the case since a declaration in 1873 that offside should be judged at "the moment of kicking" (i.e. the moment the ball is played by a team mate). The 1956 statement about this, contained in International Board Decision 1 to Law XI is just a re-statement and clarification of the principle originally introduced in 1873, probably because some people (maybe even some referees) were getting this wrong. It is already clear, if you look at the full offside law as it existed at any point between 1873 and 1956, that offside should be judged at the moment the ball was played by a team mate. For example in 1903 (when you could still be offside from a throw-in) the law read as follows: "When a player plays the ball, or throws it in from touch, any player of the same side who *at such moment of playing* or throwing-in is nearer to his opponents’ goal-line is out of play, and may not touch the ball himself, nor in any way whatever interfere with an opponent or with the play, until the ball has been again played, unless there are *at such moment of playing* or throwing-in at least three of his opponents nearer their own goal-line." (Emphasis added)

[@gordonref2172]

Thank you a good presentation however there are no rules in football just laws.

[@Mjwara]

The myth that offside didn't exist back in the day is only spread in an attempt to disregard the accomplishments of players from yesteryear.

[@mojebi3804]

Brilliant video. One thing that bothers me is when I hear people say "offside is factual" just like goal line technology. There are certainly situations that are definitely onside, and situations that are definitely offside. But it's a bit more nuanced than that.

[@jamstonjulian6947]

Offside may be objective, but we will never have the ability to determine it's objective value without margin for error. And nor should we. Football is a sport, not a science, and imo the spirit of any given law is more important than the perfect application of it.

[@Prometheus4096]

@@jamstonjulian6947 Doesn't really matter. When you score a goal when the ball is over the line, then your only choice is to try to best and objectively judge if the ball is over the line, yes or no. That's essential, because this determines what happens. You can't just toss a coin and have heads of tails decide if a goal counts or not, because the ref didn't see if the ball passed the line, yes or no. The problem is VAR cancels excellent goals after they have happened based on small but clear rule violations. Only solutions to this is to simplify the rules. While accepting the reality that players and fans will sometimes not celebrate a goal until a ref has checked it. That is the only way, the other way is to go back to obviously wrong ref calls and no way to overturn it. Like Lampard's volley crossing the line but never counting, even though everyone in the stadium saw it passed the goal line. Once you make the decision to rule accurately, you have to go all the way and dive into complex situations combined with complex rules, and marginal decisions based on debatable interpretations.

[@zada4a]

4:05 Garry Lineker xD You had to do him like that?? xD

[@adamburton4798]

When did the law change I was a referee back in 2001 and the law stated the torso is what determined the offside call not a foot or any part of the body

[@gooner72]

"Oi, Ref!!!!!! Ivan Toney was sneaking!!!!!

[@BigNews2021]

Time to change it again: If any body part of the attacking player is onside, then he's considered onside.

[@matthewreid2107]

Seems like the next evolution of offside will be a separate rule for competitions that have VAR versus those that don't.

[@anthonyhastings5961]

You forgot to add "if any player scores a goal against Manchester United then he is deemed to be offside. No Manchester United player should ever be deemed to be offside".

[@MrAlwaysBlue]

Primary school games , goal hanging...happy memories

[@zevlonner9976]

You didn’t have to roast Eric Dier like that 😂😂😂

[@theMoerster]

Is he wrong though?

[@daaichommie708]

Simple. If there is clear daylight between the feet, then its offside. Otherwise the benefit of the doubt goes towards the attacking team.

[@acmeholloway]

DaaiChommie but then you could still get the same bs we have now when deciding if there is clear daylight, because whether it’s “clear” or not is a matter of opinion so it defeats the whole point of var

[@daaichommie708]

@@acmeholloway Clear is clear. If its a case of deciding and umming and ahhing, then its not clear so dont give it.

[@therealgiannis3117]

I love your channel but I couldn't get through this video, It was torturous xD lol

[@jackmellor5536]

I think the offside rule should be changed to being a player is offside when they are beyond the last outfield player. I don't think the goalkeeper should count. This would lead to more goals and fewer goalkeepers going walkabout and getting away with it. Remember how Ecuador was denied what looked like a perfectly good goal and would have been a perfectly good goal if the offside rule were more logical. I would also make it a player is only offside if their whole body was ahead of the last outfield player.

[@sr6424]

Confirm this -when attacking player players the ball to a teammate who is behind him. I don't believe that will result offside. Am I correct?

[@cowboycurtis2229]

Correct, because you have to beyond both the second to last opposing player and the ball to be in an offside position. That's essentially why there is no offside on a corner kick, because everyone is behind the ball. Otherwise the defense could just pull way up and essentially nullify any scoring chance from a corner kick.

[@antonydandrea]

I hate it that if the ball is played when you are offside but you receive it onside, it's given offside despite having no tactical advantagr

[@nepiris]

Do a video on Pele's goalscoring "records".

[@macalad8486]

Do a 7 best games at Wembley, old and new

[@barmanitan]

No no but you don't understand. Pele was clearly playing without an offside rule. Only Europe can have good players

[@mr82769]

Messi is Argentinian...

[@barmanitan]

@@mr82769 Messi plays in Europe...

[@mr82769]

@@barmanitan Whats your point then?

[@barmanitan]

@@mr82769 Are you serious? Quite clearly it's sarcasm...

[@marktee5086]

Gary Lineker ? i thought he makes crisps?

[@connortheandroidsentbycybe7740]

> 14 Forwards > No goals Wut

[@cellyszn20]

I watched this cos Alfie made a joke about winning the Award because of this history lol congrats

[@matthewreid2107]

Jesus. Do some people really think offside was only invented in the latter part of the 20th Century? There really should be a driving test for the internet.

[@jackkelesoglu9640]

Starting a petition to change offside back to sneaking

[@alessandroantolini2679]

Sneaking is a way better term we gotta start calling it that again

[@ztnjv]

Common problem in all of your videos is the volume and choppy intonation of your voice. The volume of your voice tends to drop precipitously toward the end of sentences. Without having the TV or audio device very loud, it’s easy to miss words at the end of sentences. This may be the way you talk but when doing KZbin videos you should work on keeping your voice stronger through to the end of sentences with dropping off a Cliff.

[@WeeBento]

Genuinely interesting! To hell with your boss

[@brian_jackson]

You failed to mention that a player is only in an offside position they are nearer the oponents goal than the ball. If he/she is behind the ball, it doesn't matter how many defnding players are between him/her and the goal.

[@tdyerwestfield]

Now that VAR has been introduced, I think the offside rule should be changed to accommodate and simplify it, so that a certain part of the body is measured as to whether someone is offside, rather than any part of the body, which can be unclear. If it was just measured at players' feet, then we wouldn't have people being subjectively offside via an armpit.

[@Prometheus4096]

Why is 'any part' more unclear than 'a certain part'? I think the only solution is to scrap offside. There is no argument as to why it has to be part of modern football. Any offside rule means that VAR is going to cancel excellent goals. But if you are going to change the body part on which to judge offside, the best choice would be to pick a body part that makes it easiest for the VAR software to draw the lines.

[@Chris-im3ys]

QUESTION: If there's an inactive player in an offside position, can you now make them active by fouling them?

[@Less1leg2]

This antiquated Football Rules needs addressing because its inherent existence is stifling the speed of the game. Look folks, a Zone Defense slows down the game. Combine this with a retarded "offsides Rule" contributes to less scoring. Please of please open up this game and get more scoring. Many decades ago, US NBA basketball had to address zone defenses and teams smothering the ball for long stretches of time. So out went zone defensives and in came the 23 second clock. Instantly the game became faster, and MORE SCORING. You pay magnificently gifted athletes huge money to only watch what 1-0 match games. Like come on! Open up the freaking game. Force no zone defenses. Make the damn game faster, and open up the field. Make players at least go back to their side of the field to tag up and reboot their roles onto the Defenders side of the field. But do something. You pay huge money for a game ticket, huge money on concessions. don't you think, maybe more than 1 or 2 goals in 90 minutes is a rip off? Open up the freaking game, and get rid of game field stagnation.

[@OtesOtesOtes]

30 seconds in and I'm already calling BS if that's the case why is there Onsides?

[@fbaallied]

7 most dominant Premier League champions

[@King_Cova]

Goal poaching.

[@SuperNoora88]

hola

[@uchibenkei]

i've been saying this for years. the rule is to prevent goal hanging, not for how it's used today. they should change the rule. if any part of the player's body is onside, the player is onside. who cares if a toe is too far?

[@oswaldjames6295]

The Defense?

[@uchibenkei]

@@oswaldjames6295 they want everything to be offside

[@neilnelmar8007]

To be fair the idea that there was no offside rules in Pele's playing days is mostly advance by African football fans , with their limited knowledge of the history of international football

[@Ekoluxx]

"arms and hands" yeah we've had people ruled out for that

[@Aeolus_ca]

jung chung rubi jung chung raba

[@Apfelstrudl]

An offside "advantage" that you can't see with the naked eye is no advantage. Also there is no advantage when you are offside when the ball leaves the foot but onside when you recieve it. It should be changed.

[@Marcus-gh8bh]

We. The dutch. Sincerely apologize for the invention of the var. At least in its current state. The good parts like aubameyang’s red card are just fine and actually are good. But the weird offside and hands decisions aren’t.

[@83guy82]

best

[@timknott5856]

For offsides the issue isn’t VAR the issue is the offside rule... Where I have a problem with VAR is 1. Clear and Obvious BS 2. Referees not going to the monitor 3. Incorrect Refereeing decisions not being overturned - it was done on one occasion with at the start of the season with Martin Atkinson officiating thereafter a clear directive came there after - no matter what the referees decision is it does not get over turned... 4. Handball - accidental defensively doesn’t get punished but offensively it does... if it’s accidental then it doesn’t get punished either way..

[@oswaldjames6295]

#4 ; Are you serious? Kimpembe vs Man U, and Castillejo against Juventus yesterday Immediately come to mind.

[@XBR4Da]

Pepe and Karl Henry disliked this video

[@em4945]

Offside is offside.

[@Cammyss14]

Alisson and salah’s goal was offside by a mile but still given

[@MichaelM-wd5yi]

He was in his own half you moron.

[@jackmcnamara7767]

He was In his own half

[@-JosephW]

offside dont work in your own half you mug

[@3dsaulgoodman43]

I remember praying Salah was in United's half but he wasn't. That game really broke my heart.

[@3dsaulgoodman43]

@@-JosephW Maybe he's new to the footy, so it ain't ethical to call him a mug.

[@grahamohanlon911]

470 th like boysss

[@matthewdunn1058]

First

[@mohammedsalah.]

Theu should do a 0.5 meter distance between the last defender and the attacker

[@canarycatchup]

Meow

[@dalially2018]

7 BEST LEFT FOOTED PLAYER IN THE WORLD CURRENTLY

[@oswaldjames6295]

Gotta have DiMaria in that; and of course Leo and Haland!

[@stanlungu2654]

🔥🔥🔥 *just watch and enjoy* 1:32 💘💛 👇 👇 👇🖤

[@joshmooney977]

Do some research and you will see how that actually football originated in Uruguay in the mid 18th century

[@glennb6020]

Thought it was China a few hundred years before....

[@MatthewMcRowan]

debunk your presence on this channel

[@ousmansano21]

FUMER what do you mean