S1E5 Soccer Rules Explained: Handballs, Offside, Diving, and More cover art

S1E5 Soccer Rules Explained: Handballs, Offside, Diving, and More

S1E5 Soccer Rules Explained: Handballs, Offside, Diving, and More

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 In this episode of Soccer Explained, we walk through the basics of the rules you need to know to enjoy a game. This is part one of a two-parter. Next time we’ll get into the punishments for breaking these rules, plus the referees who enforce them. Listen to the whole episode for the laughs and stories, including one of the greatest goals in soccer history, and another that might be the most controversial, both by Argentinian legend Diego Maradona in a single World Cup match. Handballs The basic rule is simple. Outfield players can’t touch the ball with their hands or arms below the armpit. Goalkeepers can use their hands, but only inside their own penalty area. Of course, every soccer rule has exceptions. If a player’s arm is in a “natural position” and the ball happens to hit it, the ref will usually let it go. If the arm is in an “unnatural position,” it’s a handball even if the contact wasn’t on purpose. Refs use the natural versus unnatural position idea as a stand-in for intent, since they can’t read minds. Two more wrinkles to know. First, if a player scores a goal immediately after the ball touched their arm, it’s a handball regardless of intent. Second, even goalkeepers inside the penalty area have limits. If a teammate deliberately passes the ball to the keeper, the keeper can’t pick it up. Once the keeper has handled the ball and let it go, they can’t pick it up again until another player touches it. The Offside Rule First, a public service announcement from us. It’s offside, not offsides. No “S.” Here’s the setup. You’re in an offside position when four things are true at the same time. Your team has the ball, you’re on the opponent’s half of the field, you’re ahead of the ball, and you’re behind the second to last opponent. Why second to last? The rule is really trying to make sure you’re not just hanging out behind the last defender with only the keeper between you and the goal. But as long as any two opposing players are between you and the goal, you’re not offside. Being in an offside position is not, by itself, illegal. The violation happens when a player in an offside position gets involved in the play. That means touching the ball, interfering with a defender, grabbing a rebound, or otherwise gaining an advantage for your team as they try to score. The most common scenario when these violations occur is a teammate passing the ball to a player who is in an offside position. In this case, the key question is where the receiver was at the moment the pass was kicked, not where they first touched the ball. Two more things worth remembering. Offside doesn’t apply on throw-ins, corner kicks, or goal kicks. And the rule isn’t there to punish fast players. If you’re level with the second-to-last defender when the pass is made and you simply outrun them to the ball, that’s great soccer, not a violation. Challenges and Fouls: Going for the Ball, Not the Person A challenge is when one player goes after another to win the ball, block a pass, or force them to change direction. A fair challenge is aimed at the ball and doesn’t involve careless or reckless contact with the other player. An unfair one involves things like tripping, kicking, pushing, grabbing, or going in with excessive force, even if the contact wasn’t fully intended. Diving: Soccer’s Most Controversial Habit Diving, officially called simulation, is when a player tries to trick the ref into thinking they were fouled when they weren’t, or they exaggerate the severity of a foul. It’s against the rules. It also happens constantly, and there’s a never-ending argument in the soccer world about whether it’s a betrayal of the spirit of the game or just smart strategy. Time Wasting You can’t deliberately drag your feet to restart play. Strolling to the ball for a throw-in or a corner, kicking the ball far away after the ref blows the whistle, keepers holding the ball for too long—these are all against the rules. Fouls for wasting time exist to stop a team who is ahead from doing things solely to run down the clock. There’s no taking a knee in soccer. If you’re winning and you want to kill time during open play, you can pass the ball around or dribble into the corner, and the ref will usually treat that as acceptable game management. It’s the other team’s job to come take it from you and make something happen. Substitutions: It’s Complicated, So Here’s the World Cup Version Substitution rules vary a lot from competition to competition, but they all share the same shape. You have a starting XI, a bench full of players, and a limited number of subs you’re allowed to put in during certain moments in the match. Here’s how it works at the World Cup. You get twelve players on the bench, but only five of them can enter the match. There are four opportunities to put those five subs in: halftime, plus three “substitution windows” during play. The team chooses ...
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