What are the rules regarding goal kicks in football?

Answer

Regardless of who plays the ball, the goal kick is to be re-taken. Whether the same team or the opposing team touches the ball, if it hasn't cleared the penalty area, it is to be re-taken. The reason is, the ball is not in play until it has gone outside the penalty area. If the ball was never in play, you can't change the restart to something else.

On the same note, if the person taking the goal kick, kicks the ball directly into their own, or if they kick the ball over the goal line, outside the goal posts but within the penalty area, the kick is still re-taken. It must leave the penalty area into play.

I hope this helps.

Answer

If, in the opinion of the referee, the players are using time wasting tactics, then by all means, the referee needs to take charge. Caution the guilty players. Nevertheless, the restart does not change. If the referee allows this to happen 10 or 20 times, I would give the referee directions to the nut house :) But seriously, it may happen once in an amateur league, or maybe even once in the pro league, but more than once? No way. I'm sure if they are cautioned for thier actions, it won't happen again.

Answer

The ball must clear the Goalie Box (the bigger of the 2 boxes that are in front of the Goalie area). Once it does, it is fair game. If the ball goes over the line (the line from the poles of the goal to the corner flag) by the opposing team, then THAT Goalie or a player from his team may take a goal kick. If the ball gets struck and it does not clear the larger of the 2 boxs then it is up to the refferee to decide if it is a re-kick or it could be an Indirect free kick for the opposite team. More than likely it would be a re-take.

Answer

Don't forget that goal kicks are indirect. One can not score directly from a goal kick.

The Complete and Correct Answer

There is some information missing from and some that is incorrect in the previous posts. It might be better to sort it out by taking it from the top. Ready? Let's do this.

When is a goal kick taken? If the ball goes completely across the goal line (either on the ground or in the air) and was last touched by an attacking player and it is not a goal, a goal kick is ordered to restart play. (If it was last touched by a defender in the same situation, it's a corner kick.)

The ball is spotted anywhere inside the goal box. That's the little box in front of the goal. A defender must take the goal kick. Any one of them. All attacking players must be outside the penalty box (the bigger box around the goal area) until the ball is in play. The ball must entirely cross out of the penalty box (either in the air or on the ground) to be considered in play. If it does not leave the penalty box, the kick is taken again. When the player kicks the ball, if he kicks it into his own defensive goal, no goal is scored. The kick is taken again.

There is no specific time limit on setting the ball up and taking the kick, but the defenders cannot waste time or the referee will step in.

Once the ball is back in play, the player taking the kick cannot play the ball again until another player touches it. For instance, if the kick is taken into a strong wind and it goes out of the penalty area (and is, therefore, in play) but returns without being touched by another player, the player who took the kick still cannot play it without violating the Laws of the Game.

Once the kick is taken and the ball crosses completely out of the penalty area, if that ball carries the length of the field and goes in the other goal without being touched, it is a goal. A goal kick is a direct free kick. Ever see the referee holding up his arm (which he does to indicate an indirect free kick) on a goal kick? Not one that knows the rules.

That's the long and short of the goal kick. Surf the link to the Laws of the Game and see if this squares with what FIFA has set down. And feel free to come back and correct any errors or add information to repair an omission. It's okay to do that. See you on the field. I'll be the one wearing black and carrying a whistle.

First answer by ID0000000000. Last edit by Quirkyquantummechanic. Contributor trust: 787 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 173 [recommend question]