There are few moments as disappointing as scoring a goal only to look over your shoulder to see the sideline ref raising his flag, legs firmly planted in place. The offsides rule plays an integral role in the fast-paced, dynamic flow of soccer, but the average casual fan often overlooks its value and lacks an understanding of it. For a call that has the power to reverse goals, and is regularly manipulated by backlines to halt attacking plays, understanding when a player is or isn’t offsides will enrich any fans’ viewing experience — and hopefully save a few refs from catching an angry earful from misguided onlookers.
Here’s a full breakdown of what the offsides rule is, why it exists, when it is called, and how teams try to avoid or manipulate it.
What is it?
The offsides rule is caused when an attacking player is closer to the goal line than the second-to-last defender at the time a pass is made. The player must be even or in front of the second-to-last defender at the time the ball is kicked to be onside. In soccer, there is no set offside line, instead, the line is determined by the location of the second-to-last defender— in most cases the last defender is the goalkeeper and the second-to-last defender is the deepest field player. Throughout…
