Handling aka "Hand Ball"





Strangely, the terms "Hand Ball"  or "Handling " are commonly used, but are not defined in the official FIFA Laws of The Game. It is a foul if a player (other than the goalkeeper inside his own penalty area) deliberately handles the ball (meaning to touch the ball with the hand or with the movable part of the arm up to where the arm joins the shoulder. The definition of where the arm stops can be subjective, so if a player lifts his arm toward the ball and the ball hits his shoulder, "Handling" might still be called, even though the ball hit the shoulder and not the arm). 

In the older divisions, if the player handles it for the purpose of preventing an opponent from gaining possession, it is a "cautionable offense" and a yellow card should be given. If a player deliberately handles the ball to deny an obvious goal scoring opportunity (e.g., to prevent a breakaway or to deliberately stop a shot), a red card should be given and the player "sent off".

However, a handling foul should not be called if: (1) a player is instinctively trying to protect himself from injury or (2) the player did not deliberately touch the ball but the ball hit his arm & he did not move the arm toward the ball (however, if the player's arms were in an unnatural position such as above his shoulders or sticking out to the sides, then he should be called for handling).
(Courtesy soccerhelp.com)