When I played soccer and the ball was dead, I always wanted to resume the game quickly and pass the ball to the player in the best position to score whenever the opposing team players were distracted. If you are new to soccer, understanding when there is a live and dead ball is crucial to take strategic advantage during the game.
A live ball refers to the period when the ball is in play. On the other hand, a dead ball represents the time when gameplay has stopped, and the ball is not involved in any active action on the field.
By understanding the difference between live and dead ball moments during a match, players, coaches, and fans can deepen their understanding of the tactics and strategies employed by teams on the field. In this article, I’m going to dig deeper explaining each scenario.
Table of Contents
- Definition of a Live Ball
- Definition of a Dead Ball
- Dead Balls Create Strategic Opportunities To Score Goals
Definition of a Live Ball
As specified in the Laws of the Game, the ball is live whenever the ball is in play.
The ball is in play at all other times when it touches a match official and when it rebounds off a goalpost, crossbar or corner flagpost and remains on the field of play.
LAW 9 THE BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY
Definition of a Dead Ball
A dead ball, the opposite of a live ball, occurs when the ball is out of play.
When a dead ball situation takes place, it is crucial for players to follow the correct procedures to restart the game, as these moments may offer unique opportunities to execute offensive or defensive strategies.
Causes of Dead Balls
A dead ball in soccer can occur due to multiple reasons the referee decides to stop the game, such as:
- Fouls and Misconduct
- Ball Out of Play
- Injuries and Stoppage of Play
- The Ball Touches a Referee
Fouls and Misconduct
The main cause of a dead ball is when players commit fouls and/or misconduct committed. This may result in free kicks, penalty kicks, or throw-ins, depending on the nature of the foul and where it occurred on the field.
Ball Out of Play
Another common cause of a dead ball is when the ball goes out of the field boundaries resulting in a throw-in, goal kick, or corner kick, depending on which team touched the ball last and where it crossed the boundary line.
Injuries and Stoppage of Play
Injuries to players, equipment issues, or other stoppages of play can also result in dead ball situations. The game is paused until the issue is resolved, and the ball is returned to play with a drop ball or appropriate restart, depending on the circumstances.
The Ball Touches a Referee
There are times when a team has a promising attack and the ball touches the referee. If the ball, after touching the match official, changes the team with possession of it, the referee stops the match and restarts the game with a dropped ball.
Comparison of Live and Dead Ball
| Live Ball | Dead Ball |
|---|---|
| The ball is in active gameplay | The ball is not in active gameplay |
| Players can pass, shoot, and dribble | Gameplay is temporarily stopped, but players can move to be in better positions when the game resumes |
| Occurs during normal match time | Occurs during fouls, substitutions, or out-of-bounds events |
Dead Balls Create Strategic Opportunities To Score Goals
Set-piece plays are critical in dead-ball situations, as they offer excellent offensive opportunities. When the ball is “dead”, defenders are often in transition. They are either looking at everything else besides the ball, talking to their teammates and coaches, drinking water, the goalkeeper is far from the goal, etc.
All of these sound like little things, but if there is something I’ve learned during my soccer career is that you can lose a game in a blink of an eye.
Whenever you or your teammate get distracted during the set-pieces, your team can pay for it by losing a game at the last minute. Check out the following video and see what happens when a team is not focused during set-pieces.
These plays can be used to create scoring chances by taking advantage of the opposing team’s disorganization during dead-ball situations. Dead-ball strategies include free kicks, corner kicks, and throw-ins.
