Hey..... They're OFFSIDE!!!!







FIFA Law XI- Offside

A player is deemed offside if, “after the ball is touched by another player, the player is closer to the opponent’s goal line than 2 defensive players, including the goalie, and tries to play the ball to gain advantage”  This does not apply to throw in's,  goal kicks or corner kicks.  This rule is used to prevent players from “camping out” or “cherry-picking” at the opponent’s goal awaiting passes.

Simple Explanation:  The player must be in an "offside position" at the moment the ball is "played" by a teammate & try to gain an advantage by playing the ball. To be in an "offside position", a player must be on the opponent's half of the field & closer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball & the second-last defender. A player is not in an offside position if he is on his own half of the field (i.e. the half his goalkeeper is on), or even with the second-to-last defender or the last 2 defenders. (The goalkeeper is usually the last defender, or one of the last two, but he might not be; the rules just refer to the last 2 defenders & don't mention the goalkeeper). This is often difficult to call. (For example, if a player is even with the Second Last Defender & thereby in an "onside position" but runs past the Second Last Defender a split second after his teammate makes a through pass.  If a player is in an offside position, but makes no move to play the ball, they are not considered offside.        (Courtesy Soccerhelp.com)