Off the pitch keeps a forward onside ?

The other day this incident in the Italy-Holland match of Euro 2008 stirred up the spectators, the press, the know-it-alls and know-nothings on both sides of the Atlantic, and I suspect, in other parts of the world as well.  Ruud van Nistelrooy was apparently in an offside position when the ball was played to him by teammate Sneijder, and by flicking out his right foot to pop the ball past Buffon and into the net, he clearly gained an advantage from that position.  Surely he had to be offside, since the last defender Panucci (see above and below) was on the ground outside the goal-line holding his head after a collision moments before?  Well, no, Ruud wasn't offside, despite what seemed to be obvious, and the referee and assistant were correct in allowing the goal to stand.  How could that be, you say?  Well, read on . . .

First, a player must receive permission from the referee to leave the field, even if he is injured.  Without that permission, he is still a player.  No player can casually leave the field and the contest when he feels like it, hurt or not.

Second, the boundary-lines define where the ball (and only the ball) is legally in play.  If a player passes outside the boundaries in the normal course of play, he is still a player and may return back inside the boundaries at any time.

Third, the permission of the referee is the key.  Imagine what could happen if no permission was required.  A defender caught out of position could simply step over the touchline (or in this case, the goal-line) and claim that he is not involved, and that therefore any attacker caught in an offside position would be unfairly trapped by the deception of the defender. Note that an attacker in an offside situation can step over the goal-line to state publicly that he is not and will not be involved, and if after doing that, he nipped back onto the field in an act of trickery, he would be cautioned for unsportsmanlike conduct.

So, a tough break for Italy; the referee could hardly stop play immediately to examine the player, and so was probably allowing play to continue to a stoppage.  Unfortunately for Italy, the stoppage turned out to be the moment when the ball settled in the goal.  It was a strange and rare offside case, seen no more than once a year worldwide, I would guess.  Of course, commentator after commentator got it wrong, and we know that that is not rare!

Comments

[Jamie Fellrath]

My understanding of this rule was that there had to be two players (or the ball) even to or between the player and the goal line. In this case, isn't there only one player between Van Nistelrooy and the goal line since Panucci is behind the goal line?

BUT THAT'S THE POINT, JAMIE. PANUCCI IS STILL CONSIDERED TO BE ON THE FIELD, SINCE HE NEVER RECEIVED PERMISSION TO LEAVE. AND REMEMBER THAT THE BOUNDARY LINES DEFINE THE FIELD FOR THE BALL, NOT FOR THE PLAYERS.

Or, since he could come back in any time (current condition of the player is not a concern) is he considered to be sort of de facto ON the goal line?

[Snuffleupagus]

I knew there had to be a player keeping the holland player onside, which of course the main cameras didn't pick up. Thanks for the reverse view.

[Jim Gilbert]

Wow, that's really obscure. What's the difference between this and an offensive player that would've been in an offside position deliberately stepping off the field to show that (s)he's not in active play on a quick reversal in possession? I can't imagine the "Ref, mind if I step out?" "OK" sequence being played out in a timely enough fashion.

[Eric]

The difference is that an attacking player's involvement is consideration for offside whereas a defender's involvement is not. Therefore, an attacker stepping off the field would clearly indicate that he is not a consideration for offside, whereas a defending player stepping off the field (eg. for an injury) would not change the offside situation. Note that in neither case does the player need to ask permission to leave the field, it is considered implicit. The attacker, though, would need to ask permission to return.

NOT SO, ERIC, BECAUSE "THE FIELD" FOR THE PLAYERS IS LARGER THAN FOR THE BALL. A FORWARD WHO STAYS OVER THE GOAL-LINE AT A CORNER-KICK (TO SHOW NON-PARTICIPATION) WOULD NOT HAVE TO ASK PERMISSION TO RETURN.