Last updated on February 28th, 2022
In other sports, you are awarded points for certain actions you take.
For example, in basketball, you are able to score anywhere between 1-3 points for each shot you take.
Do the same rules apply to a soccer match?
Contents
- 1 How many points are awarded for a goal in soccer?
- 2 A goal is scored if it crosses the goal-line
- 3 Is a point scored if the ball hits a pole on the soccer goal?
- 4 The number of goals you score will improve your goal difference
- 5 Points may be awarded in fantasy football for a goal scored
- 6 How much money is a goal worth in soccer?
- 7 Conclusion
How many points are awarded for a goal in soccer?
Unlike other sports, there are no points being awarded when a team scores a goal. Instead, the winner of a match is declared when there is a team that scores more goals than their opponent.
In this way, the number of goals, and not points, decides the winner.
Here is this rule explained further:
A goal is scored if it crosses the goal-line
Here is the definition of how a goal should be scored, according to Law 10 of the Laws of the Game:
A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no offence has been committed by the team scoring the goal.
IFAB
No points are awarded, but the team with the most goals wins
Moreover, the rules also state that the team with the higher number of goals will win:
The team scoring the greater number of goals is the winner. If both teams score no goals or an equal number of goals the match is drawn.
IFAB
This means that goals are being used instead of points to determine the winner!
You do not score points in soccer unlike other sports
In a game of football (or soccer), you do not score points. This is different compared to other sports.
There are many sports where you score a different number of points. This is usually based on certain actions that you take:
| Sport | Number of Points Scored |
|---|---|
| Basketball | 1-3 points |
| American football | 1-6 points |
There are other sports like volleyball which award a point for each rally that you win. However in football, you are not awarded any points. Instead, you will just be awarded a goal each time the ball enters the net!
Is a point scored if the ball hits a pole on the soccer goal?
A goal will only be scored if the ball is in the boundary of the goal-posts and crosses the goal-line. If the ball hits the pole but does not cross over the goal-line, it will not be considered as a goal. There are no points awarded for a goal in soccer.
You may have seen some goals that almost went into the net. However, the ball did not cross the line as it hit the post!
Shouldn’t the team be rewarded something for these shots?
However, this is not the case!
A goal can only be scored when the ball enters the goal area, which is:
- Between the goalposts
- Under the crossbar
If you hit any poles of the goalpost, you will not receive any points. This is because the post just defines the goal, but it is not a goal.
This is similar to how a shot that hits the post is not considered as a shot on target.
However, if you hit the poles and the ball goes past the goal-line, then you will score a goal!
You will not receive any additional bonuses for just hitting the post.
The number of goals you score will improve your goal difference
You may think that the number of goals that you score does not really matter. However, it does help to improve your goal difference!
Goal difference is the difference between the number of goals your team scores and concedes.
Goal difference = (goals scored – goals conceded)
There are some leagues which use goal difference as a second tiebreaker, after points. This includes:
- World Cup
- Champions League
- Premier League
2 teams may be level on points at the end of the round-robin matches. In this case, goal difference will be used to determine which team places higher.
For example, Manchester City won the 2011/12 Premier League title on goal difference. They had the same points as Manchester United, and won the title by 8 goals (+64 vs +56)!
If you are looking to buy the latest Manchester United merchandise, you can get it from the official Manchester United store.
Even though the number of goals does not award you anything extra, it may really help you at the end of the season!
Points may be awarded in fantasy football for a goal scored
The only time that points may be awarded for a goal is in fantasy football.
The Fantasy Premier League is the most popular fantasy football game. This game features all the teams in the Premier League.
When a player on your team scores a goal, you will be awarded a number of points. This depends on the position of the player that scores:
| Position of Player | Number of Points Awarded |
|---|---|
| Goalkeeper or defender | 6 |
| Midfielder | 5 |
| Forward | 4 |
There are other fantasy football games as well, such as the Champions League or Bundesliga.
This may be the only time when scoring a goal will actually earn you points! However, this does not really apply to the teams themselves.
How much money is a goal worth in soccer?
There are some goals which can be very valuable, such as scoring the winner in a final. You may also have a goal bonus clause in your contract where you are awarded a bonus for scoring a certain number of goals.
#1 Goals scored in finals
If you score the winner in a final, this will result your team winning the trophy. There could be quite a few bonuses that you will receive from winning the trophy.
For example, the prize money for winning the World Cup has been increasing, up to $791 million in the 2018 World Cup!
#2 Goal bonuses in your contract
Some players may have a goal bonus are included in their contract with the club. If you score a certain number of goals, you will receive an additional bonus.
Some contracts may also have an escalating bonus. For example, here was Roberto Firmino’s goal bonuses when he first joined Liverpool.
| Number of goals scored | Bonus (per goal) |
|---|---|
| 1-5 | £25,000 |
| 6-10 | £45,000 |
| 11-15 | £65,000 |
| 16 and above | £85,000 |
This was revealed by a sports journalist who got a look at his contract.
Conclusion
There are no points being awarded for a goal in football. A team wins a football match when they score a greater number of goals compared to their opponent.
No points will also be awarded for a shot that hits the post. The ball has to fully cross the line, before a goal is awarded.
The only way that points may be awarded will be in fantasy football games. However, this does not benefit the team much!
Goals can be quite valuable when they help you to win tournaments, or you have a goal bonus clause in your contract. These will give you a sizeable sum of money!
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