Basic Soccer Rules For Dummies : What´s with the hands?

For those who are unfamiliar with the game, understanding basic soccer rules can be quite a challenge. Calls made by referees may seem unfair, some moves may seem illegal, and it may be just plain frustrating to be clueless about what’s going on. Below you will find a few of the basic soccer rules concerning the use of hands that will help you to understand and enjoy the next game you watch.

Hands Off

The most basic of soccer rules is the one that most people already know: Players aren’t supposed to use their hands unless they are the goalie. However, there’s a little more to this rule than meets the eye. In soccer, the hand rule applies to any part of the body from the shoulder to the fingertips. It would be more accurately defined as a “no arms rule” as opposed to a “no hands rule”, but it is what it is.

If a ball is kicked and happens to hit a player’s hand, then this is okay. This would be considered unintentional handling. However, if the player were to proceed to handle the ball in a purposeful manner, this would be considered an illegal move. A referee would have to use his best judgment to determine if hand contact with a ball was accidental or purposeful.

The Bask-Pass Rule

Even though the hand rule is one of the most basic soccer rules, it can seem a little confusing at times. For instance, it is understood that the goalie is the only player who is legally permitted to handle the ball with his hands. However, there are certain scenarios in which it is illegal for even the goalie to touch the ball with his hands.

This is often referred to as the back-pass rule. Under this rule, the goalie cannot handle a pass that came directly from one of his team member. In this situation, he would have to use his feet to handle the ball.

This is by no means an exhaustive look at all of the basic soccer rules. However, this should give you a good start for understanding the game of soccer. There are many more detailed rules that explain other aspects of soccer beyond the scope of this article.

Good resources can be found on the FIFA’s website (this stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association – soccer is known as football in every country of the world except America). You can also consult a soccer coach or enthusiast for a better understanding of basic soccer rules.