There may be some things you hesitated to do during a match, as you didn’t know if they were legal or not.
Or if you’re unfamiliar with the rules, you may be wondering why isn’t a footballer doing something out of the ordinary!
The Laws of the Game can be really thorough, and it may cover some things you couldn’t even think of or even dare ask about.
Let’s check out some of them below.
Contents
Can you carry a football in your shirt?
Carrying a football in your shirt is not allowed in a game of football. While there isn’t a certain rule about this action, it will still be considered as a foul since it meets the definition of “handling the ball”.
Hide the ball under the shirt, run to the goal and score.
Sounds like a great plan, right?
However, Law 12 disallows any player from carrying the ball in their shirt:
Touching the ball with an object held in the hand (clothing, shinguard, etc.) counts as an infringement.
Moreover, this would count as an intentional play and there are a couple of consequences:
- The player doing it will receive a yellow card
- The opposing team will get the ball and a direct kick
Here is an example of a player doing this in an official match. The referee did not approve this and awarded the opposite team with a direct kick.
You can find out whether a player can be offside from a free kick in this article here.
Can a footballer sit on the ball?
A footballer sitting on the ball may be defined as dangerous play,
So, what if you choose sitting on a ball as a method to guard during an official match? Is it legal and what will the referee say about it? How does the football law regulate this? Let’s see.
According to the official football laws, there is no direct rule that disallows this.
Yet, this type of behaviour is a dangerous play that is not allowed by football laws.
Law 12 on Fouls and Misconduct is rather clear about this.
This law states that:
“Any action that, while trying to play the ball, threatens injury to someone (including the player themself) and includes preventing a nearby opponent from playing the ball for fear of injury.
If you sit on a ball, it can be considered that you are:
- Risking an injury
- Illegally keeping the ball away from your opponent
As a result, this will also be called as a foul.
In this old clip, Kenny Wharton can be seen sitting on a football.
This was because Newcastle was winning, and it could be considered as showboating as well!
You can find out more about whether showboating is deserving of a yellow card here.
Can you hold the ball with your legs in football?
This is something that is very common among kids, where they try to hold the ball between their legs and jump around the pitch.
While some coaches use this as a drill, can players do this in an official match?
Since there isn’t a certain rule focused on this matter, the answer is both yes and no. Depending on the referee, he can restart the play, or choose to turn his head!
The player doing it will receive a yellow card, or he may get away with only a verbal warning.
The football law is not so clear about this. According to Law 12, there are a couple of rules that can be taken into consideration.
The first one states that:
Playing in a dangerous manner is defined as any action that, while trying to play the ball, threatens injury to someone (including the player himself). It is committed with an opponent nearby and prevents the opponent from playing the ball for fear of injury.
Meanwhile, the second rule mentions that:
There are different circumstances when a player must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour, e.g. if a player acts in a manner that shows a lack of respect for the game.
You can try doing this while playing with your friends on the street. However, be certain that nothing beneficial will come out of doing this in an official match!
Can you carry the ball on your head, shoulders or neck in football?
Have you ever thought of running with the ball while balancing it on your neck on shoulders?
There isn’t a rule in the football law that talks about this specific detail. However, the law has a rule that may affect whether this act can be done.
The before-mentioned Law 12 forbids this:
There are different circumstances when a player must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour, e.g. if a player acts in a manner that shows a lack of respect for the game.
If the referee deems this as unsporting behaviour, the player could be committing a foul.
This is especially so if the player doing this is taunting his opponents, which can be deemed as showing unsporting behaviour.
Running with the ball on your neck or shoulders puts it in a position where it could fall down by itself. There is also a chance of an opponent charging you and taking the ball away with ease!
Kerlon’s Seal Dribble
There was a player that was kind of doing this thing. You may or may not have heard of Kerlon. He was a Brazillian footballer who used to carry the ball on his head, a move known as “Kerlon’s seal dribble”.
He used this trick to get past his defender and score a goal. While it sounds great, the opponents saw it as showing a lack of respect which resulted in fouls and even fights.
Here is a video of him doing the dribble and making the opponents furious.
Conclusion
You may want to get creative during a match and try something not seen on a daily basis.
Most of those things may seem legal, valid, and easy to do. However, in a real match, there are some obstacles and rules that will prevent you from doing them.
So, try to resist the temptation of trying any of the things mentioned before. It will go against the football laws and will be disrespectful to the game and the way it’s meant to be played!
There are other rules that are intriguing in football, with the offside rule being the most contentious one. You can find out why we need the offside rule in football here.
If you’re looking to buy the latest football merchandise from your favourite club, you can check out the latest deals at Kitbag.
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