In soccer, understanding referee signals are crucial for both players and spectators. One important signal you should be familiar with is the direct and indirect kick signal.
The main difference between a direct and indirect kick lies in whether a player can score a goal directly from the free kick.
With a direct kick, a player can shoot the ball toward the goal without another player touching it. If the ball goes into the net, it counts as a goal.
On the other hand, an indirect kick requires another player to touch the ball before it can be considered a goal. This encourages teamwork, as players must pass or use creative strategies to get the ball past the opponents and into the net.
In this article, we are going to cover topics on direct and indirect kicks such as rules, causes, and referee signals. Let’s kick-off!
Table of Contents
Understanding Direct Kicks
Rules
Direct kicks are awarded when a player commits a foul against an opponent. These fouls can range from tripping, pushing, or holding an opponent, to more dangerous actions such as striking or kicking another player.
A goal may be scored directly from a direct kick, without the need for another player to touch the ball first.
What Causes Direct Kicks
According to the laws of the game, direct kicks are caused by when any of the following offenses occur in a careless or reckless manner, or when the offender uses excessive force:
- Striking or attempting to strike an opponent
- Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent
- Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
- Jumping in a dangerous manner
- Pushing an opponent
Examples of Offenses Resulting in Direct Kicks
- Handball offense (except for the goalkeeper within their penalty area)
- Holding an opponent
- Impeding an opponent with contact
- Biting or spitting at someone on the team lists or a match official
- Throwing an object at the ball, an opponent, or a match official, or making contact with the ball with a held object.
Signal Basics: How to Identify a Direct Kick
To indicate a direct kick, the referee will point their arm in the direction the kicking team is attacking, typically at a 45-degree angle. This signal is pretty straightforward and can easily be identified during a match.
Direct Kick Execution
When executing a direct kick, follow these steps:
- Position the ball at the spot where the offense occurred
- Make sure an opponent is at least 10 yards away from the ball
- Wait for the referee’s signal before taking the kick
- Take the kick and aim to score or set up a teammate for a scoring opportunity
Understanding Indirect Kicks
Rules
In an indirect free kick, you are not allowed to shoot at the goal directly. If you were to score from an indirect free kick, and the ball had not touched another player on the field, the goal would not be awarded. This rule makes indirect free kicks less common and slightly more difficult to execute compared to direct free kicks.
What Causes Indirect Kicks
The most common cause is when a player is caught offside. Other reasons mentioned in the laws of the game for an indirect kick include:
- when a player plays in a dangerous manner
- when a player impedes the progress of an opponent without any contact being made
- when a player is using offensive language and/or action(s) or other verbal offenses
- when a player prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from the hands or kicks or attempts to kick the ball when the goalkeeper is in the process of releasing it
- Commits any other offense, not mentioned in the Laws, for which play is stopped to caution or send off a player.
If a goalkeeper, inside their penalty area, commits any of the following offenses, an indirect free kick is also awarded:
- Controls the ball with the hand/arm for more than six seconds before releasing it
- Touches the ball with the hand/arm after releasing it and before it has touched another player
- Touches the ball with the hand/arm, unless the goalkeeper has clearly kicked or attempted to kick the ball to release it into play, after:
- It has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a teammate
- Receiving it directly from a throw-in taken by a teammate
Signal Basics: How to Identify an Indirect Kick
Similar to direct kicks, to indicate an indirect free kick, the referee will first show the direction of the kick by pointing an arm at approximately 45 degrees in the direction the kicking team is attacking.
Additionally, the referee will then raise their arm above their head. This signal is maintained until the kick has been taken and the ball touches another player or the ball goes out of play as you can see in the video below.
By familiarizing yourself with these rules, causes, and signals, you can appreciate soccer’s intricate and exciting nature even more when you watch or play the game.
