Soccer Offside Rule Explained

A basic review of the offside rule in soccer. This is a good lesson for spectators or new players that are confused by the rule.

[@spineshivers]

People who say this rule is dumb have obviously never played/watched the game or are just dense. This rule is fundamental in football. What fun would it be if some prick stood behind the defense, received a lobbed pass and scored every time? That reduces the whole concept of the game to schoolyard passing. Some may say "well... that's the defenders' job, to not allow that, no?". No! Just think about it. First at all, that isn't as easy as it sounds, especially if the attacker is fast, and strikers usually are. If the attacker receives the pass there isn't much a defender can do. Just stopping him by force will result in a free kick for the opposing side, or even a penalty if it's in the box. Not to mention a red card for the defender. Cause yes, Americans, you'll receive a red card directly if you are the last defender. Second of all, you may say that you can just put a defender near the attacker at all time and hope he stops it without a fault. That doesn't work. If you do that, the other team just backs it up with another attacker, your team with another defender and so on. So basically you'll wind up with a bunch of players in a cluster near each goal. You can't call it football anymore, can you? This rule is not stupid. Those who say this talk out of their ass. It's the basis of this sport. Americans, just go see a game or, better yet, play some FIFA cause it's good for teaching. You can't talk about a sport after watching a 7 minute video. Some of you act like you've been born with a ball in your arms. I've watched football all my life. In my country, it's like the freakin' NFL. //Yea, 666th comment. I'm Satan and I want to bore you with football! :))

[@michaelmcallister739]

+spineshivers You foreigners need to get over the name situation. It's soccer. We already have a game called Football. And the off sides rule?! Hey, it would be a lot of fun for the team scoring all the goals if they are cherry picking. If you don't like it go defend him! It might give a team of slower players a more even playing field.

[@spineshivers]

+Michael Mcallister Where did I ever discuss the naming issue? You can name it any way you want. I frankly don't give a damn. You call it how you want, I call it what I want. As for the offside part, I've described in detail why it's useful and why, by removing it, you turn the whole concept into crap. I've been watching football since I was 5 years old. It's not at all as simple as you think.

[@bryliekoopman3455]

yes thank you

[@Veigueta]

@@michaelmcallister739 Yes, you have a game called football. Played with hands and a egg...

[@plindsey3]

It might be old but it's the best explanation I've heard or seen of this rule.

[@joehall94]

This is an excellent explanation! I am sharing it with my 5th-7th grade players. I can't tell you how many times I have had officials call an off side penalty against my teams simply because a player was in the off side position -- they don't bother to learn the "active play" requirement. Thanks for such a good job and sharing it with the rest of us!

[@devachanic8882]

Thank you for making this, this is the first time i looked this up after getting frustrated watching my kids play youth soccer, you explained the main point in about ten seconds whereas the inarticulate referees that are at our games leave one wanting for more brain cells..thanks again

[@AnderTremy]

Watching this prior to my attempt at Soccer, as a kid, would have likely made a big difference in my effort at Soccer, my interest in team sports and my self esteem in general. Thanks for putting this together.

[@heartywhistler]

Thanks for this video. I'm an American just getting back into soccer. I played for three years when I was a kid.. probably didn't understand the game well at that time. Now I am 40, and have a lot to learn. I recently started watching the soccer channel on cable, and am doing some research. Thanks again.

[@dcunning30]

This is good. I've read and been told what offside is several times, but never really understood the rule. After watching this video, I finally understand the rule and can explain it with confidence. Thanks!

[@NgocTran-hs9pu]

this helped me a lot. i have learned the offside rules from watching this video. there are no videos that are better than this one.

[@LittleMissPerfect26]

This was soooo helpful. I do soccer stats for my highschool and I couldn't understand why people were getting called for offside I thought It was different then how it was explained in the video. Thank you!

[@gregorykizior7938]

The narrator's spoken pace was perfect, for me. I'm a soccer newbie, so some of the calls of off-side are still hard to see; but this explains it pretty well. It still seems to me that I see an attacker between the goalie and defender(s) very often and off-side is not called. I need to watch more soccer. Great game.

[@bethnorcross1941]

A VERY clear explanation of this rule that has confused me for some time. Thanks! Just in time for the World Cup.

[@yunusdohad]

Excellent explanation, well done

[@pkhunder1]

It helped me a little because i was a little unsure about some of the rules ... thank you!

[@themoderateextremist]

thanks. my first year of coaching youth soccer (with no experience), so I needed this.

[@willis5046]

Thanks for the explaination. I'm new to soccer and was having a major issue understanding this rule.

[@desertpair2]

I think this is a very good explanation of a complex topic. Well done. I now have a new understanding of this.

[@nicko2444]

Thanks a ton mate! Brilliant tutorial :)

[@vinny0896]

Thank you for explaining that. Im someone that has never played the sport and only watch it on occasion like the world cup or some other big event. I always see the flagman running alongside the edge and always wondered what determined the offside line. Im more of a basketball baseball and football guy. :) GO COLTS !.

[@ultimatetrickshots1862]

Thank you. This was very helpful.

[@amyflemming16]

This guy is trying to explain what an offside is and he's done a really good job of it. And here everyone is arguing and insulting each other about what to call this sport. Everyone needs to calm the fuck down and just accept that the sport has 2 names. In American English it's 'Soccer', in British English it's 'Football'. Why argue? This is a really great video. Thanks for explaining the offside so simply, it actually makes sense now :)

[@peterbirkemose]

Nice video. Explaines the offside rule in depth. You shoud include though, the fact that if the attacking team has two players in offside position, and one passes the ball backwards on the field to a player in offside position, the offside will not be called, because it is a backwards pass.

[@verkope]

Brilliant explanation of the off-side rule.

[@Nintendoom64]

Thanks this was much clearer than other videos. i hope its similar to the lacrosse offsides rule.

[@127Kathleen]

This is an amazing video ! I just started a league where they actually count offside, and being younger I had to clue or any practice knowing where and when I was offside. My coach had to keep telling me to watch out for being offside, but to tell you the truth.. I didn't know what offside really was or how to prevent it until I watched this video , so Thanks !

[@lachlangarvey1353]

sportspectator thanks for that information it will help me in my soccer game on this sunday. :) thx

[@CalSamGabTal]

@MuchManic your screen name explains your problem with slower, methodical explanations of things...for those of us who are new to the rule and are trying to learn it, the pace and thoroughness of the video was helpful

[@gerryvyti4256]

THANKYOU! Hopefully my team mates won't yell at me for being 'offside' anymore. This really helped! :)

[@quente202]

Terrific explanation - thanks for posting.

[@RobinMariee]

Thanks so much, this was very helpful!

[@dralex7777]

very clear video, thanks, what happens if you are in an offside position and then the pass from a team match hits an opposition player on route? are you offside? Similarly, if you are in an offside position a team mate has a shot, it rebounds from the keeper to you, are you offside?

[@njanengugira5142]

what if the striker is outside the pitch but still behind the last defender ? is is still an offside ? What if the defenders are past the goal line ,during a free kick, will the striker's positon at the box be ruled as offiside?

[@interneti]

Quantum physics is easier to understand. Why not just have hockey lines?

[@Kardanwelle1994]

Because it wouldnt be the same ;) ?

[@spineshivers]

Why?! Didn't you listen? The offside line depends on where the ball is. There is no magical line to follow the ball around. To be fair, he did over complicated some things. Don't get me wrong, what he said is absolutely true, but it's too detailed for Americans, so beginners that don;t actually follow the game. Just follow the first part of the video. Just look at the opposing goalie. If no other rival player is anywhere on the field between you and him, you're offside and any pass given to you in that position will stop the game and award the other team a free kick, with the notable exception that it's not offside if you're in your own half. But that rarely happens anyway. Simple!

[@MrTrojis]

lol i remember when i was younger this one kid had such a strong kick that he kicked the ball past everyone on a goal kick to his teammate who was right by the goal and everyone thought it was offsides and got pissed off about it. now i understand why the ref never called offsides. thanks for the video

[@claytondrury1698]

thank you really helped. explained it really well

[@bridges24]

@kemoblue4u We don't call Rugby hand egg, because Rugby is merely just a town in England. It can't be confused with anything, as it means nothing. Also, eggs in England are brown. I have no idea why!

[@elporkster]

@mikeraul It just depends what position are the players in, if player A has the ball then passes it to player B and Player B is in front of player A then its offsides But if Player A passes it to player B and player B is behind player A then its not offside,dose that answer your question?

[@lrozenwater]

@Possessed2k9 It doesnt have to be the goalkeeper, it could also be another defender.

[@MalMar90]

I'm a hockey fan, but am enjoying the World Cup. I liked the explanation. The theory of it makes sense to me, but I still get confused when there is a rebound or blocked shot, and then the guy has to get back onside in order to shoot. Maybe I'll have it figured out by the quarter-finals.

[@sanjanamahmud8150]

this video was very helpful!!!

[@MoniseSeward]

First year coaching so this helps a lot!

[@Jig4Striper]

Well Done! Thanks for posting.

[@rustyrusky]

It depends on where the pass is comming from. Every player behind the ball is NOT in offside position, so if the back player passes the ball to someone in front of him it's an offside offence. But if he's even or above his team mate he can flank or just stop the ball for him.

[@TheRockinryan]

Sometimes when players are on fastbreaks I see them do passbacks that I would think would be offsides. Is there some kind of ruling where if you're close to the goal line, or if the keeper comes out or something...

[@RadioheadConcerts]

A very good video indeed :). Thanks!

[@jlbsr1959]

awesome thanks for a great post it helped me alot

[@thesearethesuns]

Thanks, well explained.

[@anorawxia]

@ramin85 my point is the goalkeeper counted as a defending player if there are one player behind him and the defender behind goalkeeper are the last man check out the rules on fifa or watch the wc.its the mexico vs some team i think its south africa.not sure i never know about this until i watch that match

[@jaydendrums111]

so basically offside is when you are passed the ball at the time you are infront of the last defender? but if the ball is passed infront of the last defender an you run from the onside postion to the ball, thats ok?

[@bridges24]

@gnaviselarom I never said the feet are never used in Handegg, but it is primarily the hands.

[@aqstermole]

good explanation. thanks.

[@jayelle1986]

Excellent.

[@theanswerpaok]

is a player offside when he is outside the lines when pass is made and re enters the field after?

[@philacoudre]

no it was perfect for me, as I'm not natively speaking english (couldn't find such a great detailled video explaination in french) plus u can clearly here he's fiddling something while doing this +1 like

[@TheYmohamed]

ohh yeah!!! now i know the offside rule. thanx for ur elpaining and everything

[@anorawxia]

@ramin85 the goalkeeper can be counted as a defender if there is a player behind him that made the goalkeeper the last man defending

[@HibernatingBears]

um quick question.. I've seen so many false calls on offsides and stuff recently. When offender passes the ball to its own player that is behind at least 1 defender and another teammate is on top of the field but NOT receiving the ball (is ahead of the defender) is that still offside?

[@mrtommcandrew]

also, if you have the ball and are running towards goal with another attacker and you are in an offside position, if you pass the ball backwards or if the man who recieves the ball was behind the ball when the pass was made, you are onside.

[@jsoveta]

That's because the player receiving the pass is BEHIND the ball when it is passed. Kind of like a lateral in football, where the player has to be behind the one making the pass. Hope that helps. :)

[@roblucci8457]

I don't get it. Let's say that one of the team b players are offside (Behind team A's last defender) is that enough to signify the ref that it's offside, or does he first have to (The one offside) make contact with the ball in order for it to be called an offside?

[@sondrehansen8540]

you can also move in to an offside position AFTER the ball is played towards you or anyone in that direction from a teammate.

[@MrWhiteshark8]

@Joricky12 It makes perfect sense. American football began 150 years ago. It was a running and kicking game back then with roots in rugby, not "soccer". The first legal forward pass didnt occur until 1906 and was perfected by West Coast teams in the 1960's. The so called "West Coast Offense", is what the game is about today. The running game and "special teams" (ie, kicking. kick returns and kick coverage) are still important. But it has become a "pass first" league, for sure.

[@ralphiesarch8980]

Can you all get over the whole "soccer" vs "football" thing? Different places call some things by different names, but you get what hes saying

[@Ava11113]

this helped me alot thanks

[@bridges24]

@kemoblue4u . Football right, you make the ball travel, by using the foot, and the object used, is a ball. "American football" you use your hands, to transport a giant egg around the pitch. Therefore, it should be called "handegg."

[@CoronaKidz]

It was pretty well done but as others have stated the goalie does not impact offsides in any manner. Second, I think you should have explained that once a player on your team passes the ball forward you no longer have to be onside. As long as you are even or in front of the last man before it is kicked you can sprint ahead as soon as that ball is kicked forward. It's crucial because this is the one area that a lot of people don't get and incorrectly think a faster player is offsides.

[@jkulesha]

how to people video tape screen shots like this, with a computer program or tape your screen and edit?

[@25DMTutorial]

if the ball is on the blue team and if the White team had cross the limit as told by you (Offside) then is this Consider offside? Or

[@kelvinsoto8799]

If you are ahead of the defense with the ball, and say for example you pass it across the goal to a teammate who is also ahead of the defense, is that offsides?

[@starofthetube]

@jimpurdie if the goalie is on his line and there is a defender fore some strange reasion behind him and your striker is between them two and recieves the ball he is offside to the keeper but it hardly happens and depends on the reff call also some call and others dont

[@Urb4n0Ninj4]

Jesus H Christ...Thank you Hockey for having a real, visible, tangible, understandable offside concept that allows for the thrill of breakaways, without being unfair. Seriously, the moment anyone says "let's have an imaginary line..." in a sport, the person making the rule needs to be smacked...

[@salvadorm5046]

Reducing the playing space just because you're too lazy to see that imaginary line? I don't want to bash on Ice hockey because of this but, compared to football, its offside rule is just plain cheap, just draw a blue line and whoever crosses it before the puck is offside. I prefer the football offside rule because it actually encourages you to break through the opponent's defense. While in ice hockey any player still has chance to gain territory over his/her opponents in a cheap way.

[@Urb4n0Ninj4]

..."Too lazy to see that imaginary line" .....you realize how silly that sounds, right? Laziness has nothing to do with it. It's the complexity of trying to keep track of it. And hockeys offside rule isn't cheap. It encourages everyone to play proper position so that no one gets a breakaway pass, and if they play poor D, they are punished with an attacker getting through for a one-on-one with the goalie. Breakaways are thrilling. They can be a turning tide in the entire game if you lose focus and don't play proper D. Where soccer has a moving line that prevents breakaways at all. Though I can understand at least, since in a one-on-one situation an ice hockey goalie has a much higher chance statistically to make the save vs a soccer goalie. But "cheap"...? That doesn't even make sense.

[@salvadorm5046]

What's so complex about it? There is no need to keep track of the offside line all the time unless a questionable pass play is made, and it shouldn't take longer than 30 seconds to determine if a player was offside and interfering in active play. "It encourages everyone to play proper position" yeah, so does the offside rule in football, rugby union/league and field hockey before 1998, each rule is different but they're made for the same purpose. But hey, at least thanks for the ice hockey lesson.

[@michaelmcallister739]

+Urb4n0Ninj4 I'm with you. If someone wants to see more breakaways and encouraging better defense then get rid of the off-sides rule. Could you imagine the NBA with an off sides rule?! No more fast breaks - how boring! A little like a short field soccer game would be! Something wrong with a rule that can be manipulated to prevent the offense from advancing to the goal as with an off sides trap.

[@salvadorm5046]

Michael Mcallister No, the offside trap is a fallacy, in practice it would be too risky which is why you don't see players doing it in the matches. And the fact that you believe it can easily be done shows that you don't really understand very well what you´re criticizing. It's not like what you think that when a player makes a pass his teammates must stay behind the last defender until the very moment he gets the ball from the pass. It only counts as an offside when that player is closer to the opposite side's goal than the last defender AT THE VERY INSTANT HIS TEAMMATE touches the ball to make that pass.From that moment on there is a race for the ball between the forward and the defender chasing the ball if it is far away. Getting rid of the offside rule would result in defenders having less liberty to move (that would make the game more boring to both play and watch due to the decline of dynamism from all defenders) and cheaper offensive tactics -thus goals and your so beloved breakaways wouldn't be as hard to score and beautiful as they are-, specifically forwards laying around near their opponent's goal just waiting for a long pass for the whole 90 minutes. Basically you just need a good eye to realize when someone is offside, and some video reviews should help.

[@linro]

if a person who is in a offside position and has the ball but he is not penalized because he got the ball when he is onside AND he passes the ball to his teammate who is offside now. Will he get penalized?

[@indianakv]

Thanks for making clear. Cheers KV

[@ashlovesleeds]

@pupasil The ball is played the moment the players foot comes into contact with the ball which results in the pass.

[@jitendraprasad7921]

Thank you

[@WilliamGuynes]

The goal keeper is an opponent and counts one of the two opponents in the offside calculation. See the FIFA World Cup 2010 opening match for an example demonstrating this.

[@vinceg8813]

Thanks for the video lesson. Very well done. What I do not get is why this is even an offside call. In any other game that I am aware of (I could be missing some) it is not only ok to get into a position where you are next to the goal ahead of any defenders but it is desired. A football receiver would love to be in the position of being next to the goal post without any defenders around. Basketball also. If the other team is not aware of your position you should not be penalized. In soccer, as compared to football, you at least have a goalie protecting the net. That should be more than enough to not consider it an offside penalty.

[@rugbyguy59]

I see soccer in Canada. I watch the Premiership, lots of Internationals, Some Spanish, German, Italian, MSL. I've also been a soccer ref for 36 years. I do see mistakes made (and make them myself) but the rule is still superior to the hockey rule. Is there a general mistake you see made more often than others or have an example? Most of the mistakes people think they see turn out to be errors in understanding the rules.

[@playerx54]

thank you for this

[@jsoveta]

Could you provide a link to something like this then?

[@scolasticwar]

@bridges24 its called, punt, field goal and kick off

[@interneti]

@DRs0ul Completely agree. Just make a three second rule of something by the goal, and put in the 3 lines that hockey has. Why should an open player by the goal be called for offsides? Give me a break!

[@cordellemail]

Thanks its going to help me soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!

[@Benjamanic]

Question re: the referee's discretion: Say a player has broken away from the second-to-last defender. There is one defender between him and the goal and he is dribbling. Goalkeeper charges the ball. Player pivots and rolls the ball backward with the underside of his foot (I don't know the term for such a move), shielding the ball from the goalie with his body. The player is barely closer to the goal than the ball and there is one defender between him and the goal. Instance of a non-call?

[@Stephaust513]

thank you

[@Mezen77]

@Dickson butts . its how a team gets owned. a single dribbler breaks through 1 person and goes 1 v 1 with the goalie. or ball lands in the other side and its a dodgeball race

[@ibranflakes8954]

Omg thank you lol, nobody could explain this to me!!!

[@887960]

What is said at 1:16 is wrong. You can have one defensive player (the goalkeeper) between you and the goal if the ball is played backwards to you. So if one of your teammates breaks through the defence and is one-on-one with the goalkeeper, he can pass it to you (when you are also behind all the defence) as long as you are behind him, so the ball is played backwards to you.

[@jsoveta]

It's exactly what I'm saying. Look at the position of the player who receives the pass. He's behind the passer. Even if the ball is passed FORWARD, as long as the receiver is behind the passer when it's passed, it's legal.

[@safarigurl150]

Did you study law?? I study law and you are really good with breaking down sentences, analyzing conditions, etc....Great vid btw! Very clearly explained! I

[@Osceana]

@awilson2525 What you're referring to is an off-side trap. Some teams do employ this, but it's really not wise.

[@vernonw27]

SOOO HELPFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@rwexelblat]

@CalSamGabTal I concur -- perfect pace for newbie

[@Cream147player]

@ShadeDracos It's not so easy to manipulate actually. See, if your defense steps up too much then it leaves a huge gap behind them. A striker can hold his run such as to stay onside until the ball is passed by his team into the huge gap behind the defense, he is free to run behind that defense and with such a big gap behind them, they're in trouble.

[@wl03bu]

good explanation!

[@raneemmosleh5636]

Who’s here 2019?

[@rogerpenna]

Hi there, I think you could make it clear that if you receive the ball from another player from your own team, who is NEARER to the goal line than you, that is not an offside, doesnt matter how many players are there between you and the goal line. I know it falls under the "ball between you and the goal line", but some people may think it applies to if only the ball is already in that position, not if its passed from it.

[@1q3er5]

one of many hypothetical questions is ...lets say somehow a striker is on a breakaway - he is all by himself attacking the goalie but he overruns the ball in such that for a moment he is between the ball and the goalie, while still being between the goalie and the ball he uses a toe sweep to bring the ball back infront of him. Now it is mentioned the ball is the "offside" line. Is he offside when he tries to recover??

[@juanjuan4237]

when in a corner kick, the ball is aligned with the goal line. You don't need to add it as an exception, when it's not.

[@neychev]

actually also when two offensive players are alone in front of the opponent goalkeeper they can pass the ball to each other and it will not be an offside.... but I am not sure why. Could you please clarify this situation, 10x

[@Burtonsonline]

thx alot!