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Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): Offside Explainer u10 (Start Time: 2025-04-25 00:00:00)

Profile Summary

Alex Efthimiou
Name: Alex Efthimiou
City: WINDSOR
Country: United Kingdom
Membership: Adult Member
Sport: Football/Soccer
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Description

THE LAWS!

The Offside Rule is "Law 11" in the IFAB "Laws of the Game" and can be found here for lots of details about the very specific rules and punishments

https://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/lawsandrules/laws/football-11-11/law-11---offside

For moving into 9 a side football, there is really only the fundamental aspects we need to think about. I have explained those in a u10 friendly way in this explainer guide, but you can look up the intricacies yourself if you'd like to improve or confirm your own knowledge. 

The important thing to remember is that referees and their assistants will always make mistakes, especially with offsides AND THAT IS OKAY. Trying to judge several players movement at the same time as judging when a ball is kicked is very difficult. Go in person to a game of football and try to judge for offsides and see how many you are 100% confident that you are right. They are snap decisions that rely on good judgement, experience and peripheral vision.

In our matches, there will often be a child as the assistant. They will be running up and down a 38m line for a 60mins, trying to keep an eye on about 3km of pitch space with 18 children running around - often with rain or sun in their eyes. Be kind to them, make sure your players show them respect. 

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Why we have offsides?

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Why we have offsides?
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Why we have offsides?

Offside is a rule that sounds complicated, but is actually very simple and important in the game of football.

It stops the game from being boring because it takes away the chance for players to stand around the goal waiting to shoot - known as goal hanging - and makes it more exciting to watch. 

Goal hanging encourages long kicks all day, and those are okay sometimes, but dribbling, short passing and long shots are good too. 

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): What is an offside line?

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): What is an offside line?
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What is an offside line?

The “OFFSIDE LINE” is on the second to last player. Usually it’s the last defender, but it might be the goalie or another defender. There have to be TWO defending players between you and the goal line

The blue 4 is the offside line. If someone passed the ball to yellow 7, then they would be offside and the blue team would have a free kick

An assistant referee tries to stand in line with the offside line and makes the best decision they can, but it can be tricky, as sometimes the ball moves very quickly or there are other players blocking their view of the line. 

Defenders can use an "OFFSIDE TRAP" to try and trick the attackers into being offside, but they have to be quick! The player is only offside as the ball is passed, not when it is received

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Can we stand offside?

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Can we stand offside?
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Can we stand offside?

You can stand in an offside position, but you won’t be able to get the ball.

Remember, even if you don’t get the ball, it might be offside even if your team are just TRYING to pass you the ball. 

If you want to play, you need to try and be onside at the right time to get passes and to support your teammates!

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): When might it not be offside?

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): When might it not be offside?
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When might it not be offside?

Sometimes you won’t be offside, even if you’re standing in an offside position

You cannot be offside if:

  • You’re standing in your own half

  • You receive the ball from your teams throw on, goal kick or corner

  • The other team deliberately "plays" the ball - kicking, heading, chesting etc - and you get it (unless it bounces off your teammate on the way to you)

  • You are behind the ball when it is played to you (the ball is nearer the goal line than you are)
Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Offside?

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Offside?
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Offside?

There are 5 scenarios here, how many times is a player offside? Do you know why they were or were not offside?

Answers on the next page!

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Answers!

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Answers!
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Answers!

1) Offside - the first pass is okay, but then 9 passes to 7 who is in an offside position

2) Not Offside - there is no pass, 11 just runs through and scores. You cannot be offside from your own touch - it's just dribbling!

3) Not Offside - 4 is the offside line, and 7 starts from an onside position when the ball is passed. 4 moves forwards but it's too late and 7 is onside

4) Not Offside - 4 wins the ball and passes back to the goalkeeper, but 7 gets there quickly. You cannot be offside if the opposition deliberately plays the ball

5) Not Offside - You cannot be offside from a throw in, and then 7 is behind the ball when 9 passes to them

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