# FIFA shirt tail carrying

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-shirt-tail-carrying/208245>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 18, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-shirt-tail-carrying/208245 "2003-10-18T22:26:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![daniel801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@daniel801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daniel801)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-shirt-tail-carrying/208245/1 "2003-10-18T22:26:05Z")

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Which FIFA law prohibits a player from carrying the soccer ball around in his shirt tail (like a basket)?

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**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-shirt-tail-carrying/208245/2 "2003-10-18T22:31:33Z")

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That would be regarded as either handling the ball or an obstruction.

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**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-shirt-tail-carrying/208245/3 "2003-10-20T14:24:27Z")

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This isn’t specifically mentioned in the [Laws of the Game as published by FIFA](http://www.fifa.com/en/game/laws.html).

It’s debatable whether it would constitute handling the ball, and the obstruction rule (both part of Law 12) is unclear with respect to the OP’s question. However, in the section called _Additional Instructions for Referees, Assistant Referees and Fourth Officials_, we find this:

> [@](#):
>
> Screening the ball  
> It is not an offence if a player, with the ball under control within playing distance, screens the ball from an opponent without using his arms.
> 
> If however he prevents an opponent challenging for the ball by illegal use of the hand, arm, legs or body he must be penalised by a direct free kick, or a penalty kick if the offence was committed inside the penalty area.

So at the discretion of the referee, a player using his shirt tail like a basket would break this general amendment to Law 12.

Also, the list of cautionable offences begins “[A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he] is guilty of unsporting behaviour”. Interpretation of that is also the discretion of the referee.

My WAG is that if it _was_ legal the Dutch would have done it, especially when Johann Cruyff was playing. Cruyff had an insatiable appetite for the unorthodox, including passing the ball to a team mate when taking a penalty kick and even arguing with his heart specialist about the best way to perform the bypass surgery he needed.