What You Didn't Know About The Back-Pass Rule | Explained

Everyone knows the keeper can't pick the ball up when it is passed back by a teammate in football (soccer) but there are a few details in the back-pass guidance for referees that you probably didn't know about. This video takes a closer look.
If you are not an English speaker, you can use the auto-translate function to translate the captions into your native language.
As always, if you're looking for a clear explanation with references to the Laws of the Game, I've got you covered.
I hope you enjoy the video and welcome your comments below. Don't forget to subscribe!
FREE eBook 'Effective Communication for Referees' - www.pauljspacey.com/ebooks
#backpass #lawsofthegame #referee
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Chapters:
0:00 Disallowed Goal?
0:11 Back-Pass Body Parts
0:50 Trick To Circumvent Law
1:07 Indirect Back-Pass
1:23 Goalkeeper Miskick?
1:43 Accidental Hand Touch
1:59 Summary
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In association football, the back-pass rule prohibits the goalkeeper from handling the ball in most cases when it is passed to them by a team-mate.
referee
VAR
backpass
passback
pass back to goalkeeper
backpass to goalkeeper
using shin to pass back to keeper
using thigh to pass back to keeper
romero backpass World Cup argentina
argentina passback world cup final
accidental backpass
can you pass back to the keeper with your knee?
video assistant referee
explanation
match officials
Fifa
laws of the game

[@gregnoblet6952]

We had a game yesterday where a girl intentionally passed it back to the keeper and the keeper picked it up. It was a bad field and the ball bounced up and the girl played it above her ankle with her shin. Ref said it was fine. I was unaware that it could be played that far down the leg. I always thought it had to be at least above the knee.

[@PaulSpacey]

Yes it’s a little known part of the back pass rule which many referees don’t even know to be honest.

[@ryryhc]

Quality video as usual! Keep up the work!

[@PaulSpacey]

thanks!

[@paddymccoy]

Romero's back pass in the World Cup was a trick to circumvent the law. As the ball was in a position that would otherwise be kicked with the foot. Trick doesn't mean magic or some trickery. Trick means an act deceiving just like bending down to head a ball on the ground, bending down to use you knee is the same. Otherwise the knee option could ALWAYS be used for players.

[@PaulSpacey]

Yes it’s possible you could interpret it that way but Romero was reacting to a quick situation rather than having time to plan to circumvent the law. In these situations the benefit of doubt will usually be given. It’s a close one.

[@paddymccoy]

The key part is "ball was in a position that would otherwise be kicked with the foot". So what's stopping players from doing this all the time. I've already witnessed it happening at least three times in top flight games I have watched, never mind the many I didn't see, since the world cup. The commentators referring to the Romero back pass, like its allowed. The benchmark is completely wrong. Once the practice starts becoming common wait until you see FIFA, UEFA or FA's clamping down on it. Just like they are now clapping down on the likes of time wasting. @@PaulSpacey

[@PaulSpacey]

It’s all about interpretation of the law and the guidelines. Sometimes it is left open to more interpretation intentionally, sometimes it is rectified or clarified further down the line. The ref (or VAR) ultimately makes that determination but again, in these circumstances when it’s seen as ‘reactive’ and not pre-planned, the player will usually be given the benefit.

[@nicolasvitti9687]

Romero was already on the floor, he had no other resources rather tan his knee to pass the ball. I guess that's a key point.

[@paddymccoy]

@nicolasvitti9687 Romero was clearly standing when the ball came in. Then he knelt down. So no he wasn't "already on the floor".

[@martin5924]

Top stuff as always ., love these short videos with example clips from games 👏🏽

[@PaulSpacey]

Cheers Aron! 👍

[@sawark]

I definitely didn't know a month ago that you can pass the ball relatively safely (without risking a free kick) to your goalkeeper with any leg part above the ankle, like: knee, thigh etc. One of your earlier movies helped with this, thanks! Now you threw some light to several more interesting laws that have quite a potential to bring a lot of controversies among unaware spectators and make some ignorants angry and demanding (and even massively signing the petitions to replay some top level matches). 😜

[@PaulSpacey]

You make some good points. More petitions coming? 😆 Some of these more obscure areas of the laws and guidance are not well known, so even referees will get it wrong. Take a throw-in for example; your feet CAN be on the field, as long as your heels are touching the line. But I’ve seen this happen multiple times and referees have given a foul throw because “your feet are on the field.”

[@mikepachon5770]

Just consulting this video after seeing Romero pasd to Emi Martinez with his knee, semmed a lot like trickery and you just included it on the thumbnail. According this, that should been free kick.

[@PaulSpacey]

It wasn’t trickery IMO. While it is a subjective decision by the referee based on the moment, in this case the official(s) clearly decided it was an instinctive action by Romero and not an intentional attempt to circumvent the law. Correct decision in this case for me.

[@L7ChristianB]

@@PaulSpaceyI think you and the referee got it wrong. I believe the referee got it wrong because the action is pretty rare and the action was too fast pace to make the proper decision. But if you take the law, you can see Romero went down consciously and slid his knee for a pass all for the purpose of having Martinez be able to pick it up. That’s deliberate, a trick and to circumvent, it all checks off ✅ while it was an “instinct” it could still check off everything else the rule requires.

[@rhyministermc]

Great video! I am a bit lost as to why heading the ball is okay if done when the ball is in the air but is seen as 'circumventing' the law if it is done on the ground. Why is it okay if done deliberately in one case and not the other, when, say kneeing it would not be seen as circumvention?

[@PaulSpacey]

It is determined by the referee in every individual case. If it’s obvious (as the example in this video was) that the player is trying to circumvent the law, the referee will not allow it. If someone tackles a player and is already lying on the ground then uses their head to to play it back to the keeper (it’s done instinctively in the moment) then it would almost certainly be allowed by the referee.

[@karlluebs2605]

@@PaulSpaceywhat about the video from the goal kick where the keeper passes directly to defenders head and then catches it? Is this also circumventing the rules? I would say yes because everything about this is deliberate

[@Ben-cy6fg]

Great video

[@PaulSpacey]

Glad you found it useful!

[@wadeolsen4469]

What if the player passes back to the goalkeeper, the keeper controls the ball with his foot. Then picks up the ball…?

[@PaulSpacey]

Still a back pass. Unless the keeper takes a wild swing to try and kick the ball but makes a mess of it, they can then pick it up with no offense committed.

[@wadeolsen4469]

@@PaulSpacey interesting. I heard from other referees that the touch from the goalkeeper effectively made it a pass to oneself instead of a teammate. But there is an argument here about that. Thanks!

[@hamzanajji8615]

Moroccan Goal keeper Bono used his chest to catch the ball when they played against Canada

[@PaulSpacey]

Most top keepers are competent outfield players so chest control is easy for them 👏

[@jeonunbaegopayo]

Does the backpass apply to the goalkeeper himself? Like, the ball is outside of the penalty area. The goalkeeper leaves the penalty box, kick it back in with his feet. He then picks up the ball. Is this allowed since it's not a "pass by a teammate" per se?

[@PaulSpacey]

It depends if the ball has been intentionally passed back to the keeper before he then dribbles into the penalty area. If not, then the keeper is good to dribble back into the area and pick it up.

[@yaseenhashim2074]

I am curious Historically, were there any shoulder goals by a player in the past?

[@PaulSpacey]

What do you mean exactly? Players have scored with their shoulder before, if that’s what you mean.

[@yaseenhashim2074]

@@PaulSpacey yeah that what I meant

[@PaulSpacey]

This one from Balotelli is a good example. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZq6aJ18eL2LZ8U

[@metalsnake00]

one thing is not broth up, what about if own player WITH THE BALL in own box where GK comes and grabs the ball from him, what then?

[@PaulSpacey]

The ref has to determine if the defender intended for the ball to be given/passed to the keeper. It must be an intentional backpass, intended to go to the goalkeeper, in order for it to be an offense.

[@willianortizcarvajal785]

Pero el portero la recoge con las manos y es claro que no es accidental, es cesión de juego .

[@PaulSpacey]

Pero las leyes lo permiten, a menos que el jugador esté claramente tratando de eludir las leyes. Ese no es el caso aquí, ya que es una reacción instantánea en el momento.

[@willianortizcarvajal785]

@@PaulSpacey instantánea? 🤔🤔🤔 No creo, creo que hasta retiene el balón. Lo he consultado con otras personas y creen que es sesión, hasta UBALDO el youtuber lo cree😁😁😁

[@PaulSpacey]

@@willianortizcarvajal785 cada uno tiene derecho a su propia opinión basada en su perspectiva y experiencia. Como dije, las leyes del juego permiten el uso del muslo/rodilla, a menos que sea un claro intento de eludir. Determinaron que esto no era eso. 😉

[@willianortizcarvajal785]

@@PaulSpacey claro que iban a determinar lo contrario o que iban a tomar la decisión que tomaron porque había una tendencia en el arbitraje, esa jugada me pareció hasta raro que en transmisión de t.v no se repitiera esa jugada. Pero creo como muchos que hay cesión de juego, no es por la parte con que devolvió el balón, es porque hubo una clara intencionalidad y el defensa retiene la pelota acomodándola y dándole varios toques (si ve la jugada completa se dará cuenta) .

[@PaulSpacey]

Did you know about these parts of the offside guidance?

[@drift3426]

breaking news: a backpass is considered offside /s

[@PaulSpacey]

Brilliant 😅👏

[@Beertje21]

I think the rule is everything above the knee is good to go but everything under the knee is disallowed so I think you are wrong

[@PaulSpacey]

In this video, I included the official guidance from the IFAB who make the laws. And yet you still think you know better than them. The internet is amazing 🤣

[@Beertje21]

@@PaulSpaceyyes it is because you interpreted it wrong. When you read the second line you will understand that you can kick with the knee and the leg ABOVE the knee not UNDER the knee and any other part of the body ABOVE the knee such as chest etc. I hope you know the shin is UNDER the knee and therefore will be seen as a Kick. Just like the ankle and foot. I am the real referee here boy ;)

[@PaulSpacey]

😅 you are definitely not a referee and you clearly struggle with English reading and comprehension at the same time 🤡

[@Beertje21]

@@PaulSpacey My english is not as good as yours but this is as good as I can explain it to you but still you dont understand. Love you content but you are wrong here, pls read the rule again and what I said.

[@PaulSpacey]

I’ve read it multiple times. Please point out to me where it says above the knee? Because the English I’m reading clearly says anywhere except the foot or ankle. The shin is not part of the foot or ankle?

[@f3d3nr37]

what do you think? For you, was the World Cup arranged for Argentina to win? You know, because of the dark secret of why Qatar hosted

[@PaulSpacey]

@f3d3 we all know the situation with the hosting but you can’t arrange for a team to win a WC! Too many moving parts and permutations.

[@f3d3nr37]

@@PaulSpacey Of course I understand, but many people say that because the Qatari emir is a fan of Messi, and he wanted Messi to win because of the marketing and the money that he would earn, but if the Qatari really wanted that, he would have easily led Argentina to the final

[@PaulSpacey]

Money and politics can influence a lot of things. It might even be able to influence local or regional games. It can’t impact the outcome of top level WC games IMO.

[@jorgeherrera1074]

@@f3d3nr37 just stop crying. Argentina won and that’s that. The level of corruption that would be required to rig every single game for Argentina isn’t even in politics, let alone football. And if it were rigged for Argentina, how did they get to penalties twice in their run to the trophy? Almost trice as they almost went to OT against Australia in the final minutes. If it were rigged, they did an awful job rigging it.

[@f3d3nr37]

@@jorgeherrera1074 si hablas español dilo en español? Me da pereza tratar de entender todo ese texto

[@robn8726]

So why is using your head trying to circumvent the rule but a thigh or knee not?

[@PaulSpacey]

@rob it’s not about which part of the body you use; it’s just about an obvious attempt to circumvent. Romero in the WC was a quick reaction in the moment; the example in this video was pre-planned and obvious. Ultimately the referee will have to use their judgement.

[@L7ChristianB]

It seems that he was trying to circumvent the rule to me

[@AbsoluteNut1]

Please let refs know that the attempt to clear the ball only exonerates the pass-back in USSF. According to HS and NCAA, it IS a pass-back violation if the keeper handles the ball.

[@PaulSpacey]

Right, because those organizations have to do things differently to literally everyone else in the world 🙄

[@kevinjuarez9252]

​@@PaulSpacey Is that a problem?