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| Playing the advantage in soccer (photo © Emkaer, Wikimedia Commons) |
The soccer advantage rule allows attacking teams to continue playing after their opponents have committed a foul against them.
Normally, the referee blows his whistle after a foul, stopping the game for a free kick. But if you are about to score a goal, you definitely don’t want the ref to stop the game. This is why the advantage rule was created.
When Can the Referee Play Advantage in Soccer?
The referee “may play advantage whenever an infringement or offence occurs,” say the official Laws of the Game. But the ref must have a good reason to play advantage -- he can’t just do it because he feels like it.
- Before playing advantage, the referee must consider the following:
- Does the attacking team have a good goal scoring opportunity, or would they prefer a free kick immediately after the foul?
- Is the fouled-against team in a good position? If a team is fouled in its own half, the players probably won’t want to play advantage -- they’d prefer a free kick.
- How bad was the foul? If it was really nasty, the referee might decide to stop the game immediately, either to show the fouler a red card or because the fouled-against player is injured.
How Long Does the Advantage Last?
According to the Laws of the Game, the referee has to blow his whistle a few seconds after a foul. After playing two or three seconds of advantage, the referee can no longer stop the game for the original foul (he can’t award a free kick).
What About Yellow and Red Cards?
If the foul was bad, the referee can still show the fouler a yellow or red car after the advantage is over. The referee must wait until the ball is out of play before showing a card to the player guilty of the original foul.
How Does the Ref Signal Advantage?
The referee can’t blow his whistle to signal an advantage, as a blown whistle signals a stop in play (the exact opposite of an advantage). Instead, he raises both his arms directly in front of his body. He also shouts out the advantage, normally with a loud shout of “Play on, advantage!” The signal must occur immediately after the foul.
Do you have any questions about the soccer advantage rule? If you do, go ahead and leave a comment below and I’ll answer as soon as possible.
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