# Soccer rules q **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 2, 2019, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-q/841134 "2019-10-02T02:49:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-q/841134/1 "2019-10-02T02:49:52Z")
So I’m watching goals from Euro2008…and Ruud Van Nisterooy scores but he’s miles offsides. However there is an injured defender lying off the field behind the goal. Surely that guy didn’t count for purposes of offsides?? ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-q/841134/2 "2019-10-02T03:26:11Z")
He counts and the goal counts because he left the field in the run of play after running into his own player (specifically, his keeper). Nowadays, I believe the current guidance is that the ref should stop play if they think the player is seriously injured; otherwise, play on and the defender counts for offside. BBC “You Are The Ref”: [https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/euro2008/2008/06/you\_are\_the\_ref\_special.html](https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/euro2008/2008/06/you_are_the_ref_special.html) > **[BBC SPORT | Football | Euro 2008 | Dutch goal correct says ref chief](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2008/7445476.stm)** > > Premier League referees chief Keith Hackett says Ruud van Nistelrooy's controversial opening goal for the Netherlands against Italy was legitimate. ETA: If the player had been receiving treatment after being helped off by trainers, then he definitely wouldn’t count for offside purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-q/841134/3 "2019-10-02T03:31:26Z")
> [@Kimble](#): > > He counts and the goal counts because he left the field in the run of play after running into his own player (specifically, his keeper). Nowadays, I believe the current guidance is that the ref should stop play if they think the player is seriously injured; otherwise, play on and the defender counts for offside. > > BBC “You Are The Ref”: > [https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/euro2008/2008/06/you\_are\_the\_ref\_special.html](https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/euro2008/2008/06/you_are_the_ref_special.html) > [BBC SPORT | Football | Euro 2008 | Dutch goal correct says ref chief](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2008/7445476.stm) > > ETA: If the player had been receiving treatment after being helped off by trainers, then he definitely wouldn’t count for offside purposes. Only on The Dope could I get an answer SPECIFICALLY to the 11 year old goal I’m asking about! ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2019, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-q/841134/4 "2019-10-03T14:18:01Z")
Both of the references **Kimble** give make it sound like the fact that the defender left the field _after contact with a member of his own team_ is critical to the decision. Is it? Would the ruling have been different if the defender had been injured by contact (incidental contact, let’s stipulate - warranting no foul call) with a Dutch player? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2019, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-q/841134/5 "2019-10-06T10:54:56Z")
The rules do not make that distinction. If this situation was not play on, defenders could trip the “offside trap” by running off the field behind their own goal. The reference that the player was injured by a collision with a team mate just makes it clear they were not injured due to a foul. ---
**Author:** ![Calavera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calavera/32/70_2.png) [@Calavera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calavera)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2019, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-q/841134/6 "2019-10-06T12:12:56Z")
Not an answer to your question, but please note for the future there is no such thing as “offsides” as a single incident. The term is “offside”. It baffles me how many people get this wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2019, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-q/841134/7 "2019-10-06T12:35:34Z")
> [@Calavera](#): > > Not an answer to your question, but please note for the future there is no such thing as “offsides” as a single incident. The term is “offside”. It baffles me how many people get this wrong. In American Football there is a type of penalty called “offsides”, so we sometimes mix them up. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2019, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-q/841134/8 "2019-10-06T21:55:10Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > In American Football there is a type of penalty called “offsides”, so we sometimes mix them up. That violation is called “offside” in American football as well. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-q/841134/9 "2019-10-07T01:47:12Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > The rules do not make that distinction. > > If this situation was not play on, defenders could trip the “offside trap” by running off the field behind their own goal. > > The reference that the player was injured by a collision with a team mate just makes it clear they were not injured due to a foul. I did actually write one of those “Ask a ref sites” about a number of things once: Tuck the ball under your shirt or another players shirt and run down the field. (Unpsortmanlike. Yellow) Hang from the crossbar (as a field player) to clear a ball off the line with your head or legs. (Unsportsmanlike. Yellow and i believe PK) Run off the field to dodge an offside call or create a trap. (Leaving the field without permission. Yellow and i doubt its a PK) He never said anything about a defender doing that is still in play for offside purposes, but clearly he is as seen earlier in the thread ---
**Author:** ![polar\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-q/841134/10 "2019-10-07T07:23:36Z")
For what it’s worth, that was kind of a big game. First goal against then World Champions Italy, followed by two great goals by Sneijder and v. Bronckhorst. Back then a lot of people thought it was offside as well…I certainly did, but I think that anyone watching that game will have remembered the rule from then onward. Verstuurd vanaf mijn moto g(6) met Tapatalk