Offside has always been one of the most complicated rules in football. Even the greatest referees can have difficulty resolving a particular situation.
Nowadays, the implementation of the VAR (video assistant referee) system is making football fans confused with all the drawn lines, but it still helps in resolving this “illegal position”.
But how familiar are you with the Laws of the Game? Can you be offside from a corner? Or a goal kick? Let’s investigate!
Offside Rule Explained
To answer the question, “Can you be offside from a corner kick?” we must first explain the offside law and what it entails. A player is considered being in an offside position when any part of the body, head or feet is in the opponent’s half and nearer to the opponent’s goal than the second-last opponent (usually the goalkeeper) and the ball. If the player is in line with the two last opponents or the second-last opponent, he is not in an offside position.
The player in an offside position will be sanctioned with an offside if he plays or touches the ball passed by their teammate; interferes with his opponent or gains an advantage by playing the ball when it is rebounded off the goalpost, a match official, or an opponent.
There are many situations in which players can be sanctioned for offside, though in all cases, the players may not receive a yellow or red card. Instead the referee will stop the play and award the opposite team with an indirect free kick.
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Can You be Offside from a Corner Kick?
A corner kick is awarded when the ball crosses the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, having last touched a defender and no goal is scored, according to Fifa rules. The ball must be kicked by a member of the attacking team.
The procedure includes several offences:
If an opponent unfairly distracts or impedes the player taking the corner kick, he is warned for unsportsmanlike conduct. If the corner kick is not taken within four seconds, the opposing team receives a goal clearance.
The opposing team receives an indirect free kick if the ball is in play and the player taking the kick touches it again (except with his hands) before it has touched another player.
A penalty kick is given if the ball while in play is handled by the player intentionally before it has touched another player, the opposing team is awarded a direct free kick. If this takes place within the penalty area of the player taking the kick, the player’s team is sanctioned with an accumulated foul.
Free kicks are awarded when the goalkeeper takes a corner kick and touches the ball again (except with his hands) before it touches another player, or when the ball is in play and the goalkeeper deliberately handles the ball before it touches another player.
But can you be offside from a corner in football? The short answer is NO. The only set piece in which one can be offside is a free-kick.
Can You be Offside from a Goal Kick?
According to the Laws of the Game, a player can not be offside when he receives the ball from his teammate directly from a goal kick, no matter his position on the pitch at the time. Therefore, even if the player is in an offside position, the assistant referee will not signalise offside.
This has been the case since the offside rule was invented in 1863 by the FA (The Football Association). Before that, when the ball was passed from the goal line, every player that was standing in the opposite half was considered to be in an offside position and was penalised.
A goal kick offence occurs when the kicker touches the ball again after it has been in play but before it is touched by another player. If the kicker commits a handball offence, a direct free kick is awarded, and a penalty kick is awarded if the offence occurred inside the kicker’s penalty area, unless the kicker is the goalkeeper.
Can You be Offside from a Throw-in?
Same as the previous rule, you also can not be offside from a throw-in in football. When a player receives the ball from his teammate, no matter if he’s standing in front of the second-last defender or behind him, he will not be penalised with an offside by the referees.
With the very first Laws of the Game, a player could not be offside from a throw-in. Because the ball had to be thrown in at right angles from the touchline, it would have been difficult for a player to gain an advantage by being in front of the ball.
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Why is There no Offside for a Goal Kick, Corner Kick, or Throw-in?
Football fans prefer to watch attacking teams rather than teams that are constantly defending. They also don’t want the referees to interfere with the game too much. As a result of this Law of the Game, the attacking team is free to make runs without fear of being called offside.
There have been instances in football where a goal was scored with the help of a goal kick. When calculating assists, a corner and a throw-in kick that results in a goal are also considered passes. This law was enacted to reduce the number of stoppages while also making the game faster and more exciting.
Is it Offside if a Player is Off the Pitch?
This rule is also valid even when the player is injured outside the pitch. So, yes, a player can be penalised with an offside both on and off the pitch, because even if he is not an active player off the pitch, he’s still considered being on the goal line which is considered in the offside assessment.
For example, there is a defender standing outside the pitch and a goalkeeper on the goal line. In this situation, the goalkeeper is considered the second-last defender, and any goal scored in this situation is confirmed.
Another example is when a striker stands outside the pitch and then enters the field and becomes involved in the active play without the referee’s permission, he is considered being on the goal line and in front of the last and second-last defenders. Because this is a clear offside, the opposing team will be awarded an indirect free kick, but the player will also receive a yellow card.
Bottom Line
As we saw in this article, there are many situations in football that might be confusing to some fans. The offside rule is one of the aspects that contribute to football’s appeal, but it is also a source of contention. However, implementing this rule contributed to the game’s improvement and acceleration.
So, if you ever had doubts about can you be offside from a corner, goal kick or throw-in, we hope we’ve helped you resolve them!
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