Soccer is such a complete sport, and yet complex at the same time with often misunderstood rules like the indirect free kick and others.
An indirect free kick is, in basic terms, a free kick that requires two touches of the ball for the game to resume.
However, there are many ramifications and strategies surrounding indirect free kicks and the implications they can have on the game.
Players must be extremely familiar with this rule to avoid jeopardizing their team. Incorrectly executing an indirect free kick can result in losing possession and even having a goal disallowed.
In this article, we are going to discuss the role of the indirect free kick in soccer, in what situations referees will give an indirect free kick, and how these set pieces should be executed.
In addition to this, at the end of the article, we’ll provide several tips and pieces of advice to help you improve your kicking technique and effectiveness in free kicks, corner kicks, and shots in general.
What is an Indirect Free Kick?
An indirect free kick is a type of free kick from which you can’t score directly; instead, it requires touches from two different players for any potential goal to stand.
This free kick is commonly executed by two players. One positions himself right next to the ball and gives it a slight touch to set it up for the other player who will attempt to score.
Indirect free kicks have a very important feature related to the referee. Before letting the players take the kick, the referee will raise his arm upwards to show that the kick is indirect. This is the signal to indicate to the players on the field how this kick should be taken. After the kick is taken correctly, the referee will lower his arm.
Although it doesn’t happen too often, there have been instances where an incorrectly taken indirect free kick has resulted in the goal being disallowed. While we wouldn’t see this too often in professional soccer, it is something that needs to be explained well in academies and lower categories in order to prevent any confusion.
When Is an Indirect Free Kick Given?
Indirect free kicks are not very common, and you can easily have whole matches without a referee needing to call one.
Many indirect free kicks are given for serious goalkeeper offenses, but the infraction that most often leads to an indirect free kick is dangerous play. This foul is called when the referee believes that a player has made a very reckless move that could have endangered an opponent.
It’s important to note that the player doesn’t necessarily have to actually foul the opponent for their dangeous play to be sanctioned. Dangerous play is determined by the aggression and excessive force a player could have applied, which is why a player can even be penalized if they touch the ball without making contact with the opposing player.
Dangerous play is often called when a player raises their leg to their opponent’s head level. A player can also be penalized if they make contact with an opponent while attempting a bicycle kick or some other type of acrobatic shot.
Here is a list of offenses that lead to an indirect free kick in soccer:
For field players
- Dangerous play
- Aggressively preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball with their hands
- Illegally impeding a player’s movements
Goalkeeper Fouls and Infractions
- An indirect free kick will be given if a player passes back to their goalkeeper (with their feet) and they pick it up.
- An indirect free kick will also be given if the goalkeeper picks up the ball after releasing it, without any other player touching it.
- And, finally, an indirect free kick may be awarded if the goalkeeper holds onto the ball for more than six seconds. (This rule tends to be more flexible and is seldom enforced in professional football these days, except after several warnings).
Additionally, it should be clear that when these infractions occur within the penalty area, they will be sanctioned as an indirect free kick, not as a penalty.
The Best Technique for Taking Indirect Free Kicks
Indirect free kicks can be taken in three different ways, depending on what the players want to achieve.
It all depends on whether the team wants to try a shot on goal, to cross to a teammate, or to try something more elaborate.
- An indirect free kick with a shot on goal: To take a shot from an indirect free kick, the player who is going to take it will maintain a certain distance from the ball, while another player will be closer to the ball to supply the first touch. There are several different ways to carry this out. The element of surprise is crucial in football, and some coaches create tactics and feints involving several players in order to confuse opposing defenses. For this reason, sometimes up to 4 or 5 players can be involved in the free kick. The idea here is to create unpredictable situations to confuse the opposing defenders. As there isn’t as much time to execute it due to the required first touch, this type of free kick is often less carefully aimed and is often hit harder. After the first touch, all opposing players can approach the ball without being sanctioned, which reduces the space available to take a shot.
- Crossing from an indirect free kick: To cross the ball from an indirect free kick you simply need to send the ball into the area. A second touch from a teammate or an opposing player will make any potential goal stand. Some coaches also prefer one player to touch the ball slightly in order to create different angles for the cross, but it’s not necessary from a regulatory standpoint.
- Using an indirect free kick to start off a move: In this type of indirect free kick, two players position themselves near the ball and make a couple of short touches to simply start off a move. The ball can be played wide to the wings or played back to change direction and create space. It’s a quick way to resume the match and keep the momentum going.
Examples of Indirect Free Kicks
In this clip, you’ll see an indirect free kick, which forward Paolo Guerrero mistakenly took as a direct free kick. However, the goal counted because the Colombian goalkeeper Ospina (forgetting that it was indirect) deflected the ball, giving it that second touch that made the goal stand.
Indirect free kicks can be taken inside the penalty area. In this video, Juan Román Riquelme scores a superb goal for Boca Juniors.
How to Improve Your Free Kicks
Practice is key if you want to improve your skills in soccer or any other sport. Striking the ball well depends primarily on technique, and this will allow you to apply the necessary power, accuracy, and curl to try and score.
One effective way to review technique and adjust your movements is to practice all the different types of shots that are possible from free kicks, from instep (laces) shots to shots with the outside or inside of the boot. All of these are perfectly valid ways to shoot or cross from a free kick.
Of course, these specific techniques should ideally be taught by experts. We recommend that players attend academies or summer camps where specialists can help improve their strikes, especially during their formative years.
It’s also important to understand that not everything hinges on how hard you can hit the ball. Many players focus on increasing their shot power for free kicks, but this doesn’t guarantee that you’ll become a good free kick taker. It’s pointless to have powerful free kicks if they aren’t well-placed.
It’s a great idea to schedule practice sessions for free kicks in order to become familiar with the correct techniques and improve your own technique. Practicing for about 15-20 minutes after each training session will help you develop a positive regime for this aspect of your game.
Conclusion
Indirect free kicks can change the course of a match, either in your favor, or adversely, if players are not well-versed in the rules.
A summary of important information regarding indirect free kicks:
- There must be two touches before the ball enters the net, otherwise the goal won’t stand.
- The referee will raise their arm to signal that it’s indirect, and will keep it up until the ball is touched.
- Indirect free kicks can be awarded for dangerous play, obstruction, or preventing the goalkeeper from throwing the ball out with their hands.
- They can also be awarded if the goalkeeper receives the ball from a teammate’s foot and picks it up; other infractions include holding the ball in their hands for more than six seconds and picking it up again with their hands after having released it.
- Referees can award indirect free kicks inside the penalty area.