Football · Level 1: Beginner · Sub-level 1.6
Goal or No Goal?
10 tests · 100 facts · updated 12 October 2026 · markdown
What constitutes a goal: the ball must wholly cross the goal line, between the posts, under the crossbar. Introduction to goal-line technology and VAR.
Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.
Test 1DefinitionsTake a test
Law 10 requires the whole ball to wholly cross the goal line between the goalposts and under the crossbar, with no infringement.
The 'whole ball wholly over the line' standard is precise — and is the basis for goal-line technology.
Goal-line technology tracks the ball automatically and sends a signal to the referee's watch within about a second.
VAR is an off-pitch official who checks key decisions on video and recommends a review; the decision itself is still made on the pitch.
An own goal counts for the opposing team, but is credited to the player who deflected it into their own net.
The goal line is the shorter boundary of the pitch, on which the goalposts stand. The whole ball must cross this line for a goal.
A disallowed goal is one ruled out for an infringement that occurred before or during the goal — such as offside, foul, or handball.
The referee is the sole authority to confirm a goal. Only awarded goals appear on the scoreboard.
A goal-side defender stands between the attacker and their own goal — a defensive principle to block direct shots and runs.
The crossbar is the horizontal bar joining the tops of the two posts (B). A marks a post and C the net.
Test 2Numbers and dimensionsTake a test
The lower edge of the crossbar is 2.44 m (8 feet) above the ground.
The inside-to-inside width of the goal is 7.32 m.
VAR is restricted to four categories of decisions to keep reviews focused on game-changing moments.
Goal-line technology signals in about a second, a VAR check takes seconds to minutes, and half-time lasts up to 15 minutes.
Top football matches average under three goals, ice hockey about six, handball more than fifty goals and basketball around two hundred points.
Every goal in football is worth exactly one — unlike basketball where shots can score 1, 2, or 3 points.
Three goals in one match by a single player is a hat-trick — a major individual milestone in football.
Camera-based GLT (e.g., Hawk-Eye) uses approximately 7 high-speed cameras per goal — 14 in total — plus a magnetic-sensor-based alternative.
A VAR team typically includes the lead VAR plus 2–3 assistant VARs (AVARs) who specialise in offsides, replays, and other support.
The goalposts must be the same width as the goal line (and other lines), maximum 12 cm. This ensures the line itself does not give one team an advantage.
Test 3Who decides whatTake a test
GLT is decisive in practice — but officially the referee is informed, and the referee awards the goal.
VAR officials watching off-pitch alert the referee to potential clear errors. The referee then decides whether to view the screen and possibly change the decision.
The on-pitch referee personally views the monitor and makes the final decision after a VAR-recommended review.
An own goal counts for the other team; in the records it is credited to the player whose touch sent the ball into their own net.
Most leagues have a dubious-goals committee that reviews uncertain cases. The decision determines whose statistics are credited.
Goal-line technology sends an automatic signal, a vibration and the word GOAL, to a watch worn by the on-field official.
Live VAR trials were approved in 2016, VAR was used at the 2018 World Cup and semi-automated offside technology at the 2022 World Cup.
The referee verifies GLT works before kick-off, with technical support from the GLT system provider.
Test 4Allowed and forbidden ways to scoreTake a test
Goals may be scored with any part of the body except hands or arms. Headers are a common scoring method.
Any body part except hands or arms may score a goal. Chest goals are legal.
Goals from the thigh are legal — happen relatively often from controlling crosses.
A goal scored by a deliberate hand or arm is disallowed under Law 12.
A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick, but only against the opposing team.
Direct goals from goal kicks are legal against the opposing team. Has happened in professional matches.
A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in. If it goes straight into the opponents' goal, play restarts with a goal kick.
A goal cannot be scored against your own team directly from a kick-off. If the ball goes into your own net without anyone else touching it, the restart is a corner kick to the opposing team.
A goalkeeper may not handle a ball deliberately kicked back by a team-mate; the opponents get an indirect free kick.
Goalkeepers can legally score from open play — even from goal kicks, free kicks, and headers.
Test 5Reasons goals are disallowedTake a test
Offside is the most common reason for disallowed goals. An attacker in an offside position who interferes with play voids the goal.
A goal scored from deliberate handling by the scorer (or a teammate immediately before) is disallowed.
Part of the ball is still over the line, so it has not wholly crossed it: no goal.
Once the referee has stopped play, the ball is out of play, so a shot that goes in afterwards does not count.
If outside interference clearly prevented a goal, the referee may award the goal. Otherwise, restart with a dropped ball.
An offence by the attacking side before the goal disallows the goal. The defending team restarts with the appropriate free kick.
Since 2019, if the ball deflects off a match official directly into the goal, no goal is awarded. Restart with a dropped ball.
Taking off the shirt to celebrate is a caution, but it does not change the goal.
Climbing fences during celebrations is unsporting behaviour and a cautionable offence — but the goal stands.
Violent conduct after a goal does not invalidate the goal. The player is sent off and additional sanctions follow.
Test 6Historical factsTake a test
GLT debuted at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, after high-profile incidents (notably Frank Lampard's disallowed goal in 2010).
VAR debuted at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. France benefited from the first VAR-influenced penalty in a World Cup final.
Lampard's clear goal that crossed the line by ~1 m (against Germany in 2010) became a turning point — FIFA quickly approved GLT trials.
Hurst's second goal in the 1966 final (England vs West Germany) hit the bar, bounced down — but it was unclear whether it had crossed the line. The goal was given.
Goal nets were patented by John Brodie in 1890 and first used officially in 1891.
The VAR checks the footage and recommends a review; the referee looks at the monitor and makes the final call.
GLT was debated from the mid-2000s, with various trials. IFAB officially approved its use in 2012 — a long process for a technical change.
For well over a century only the officials' eyes decided goals; IFAB later approved goal-line technology, and its watch signal came into use after that.
Qatar 2022 used a 500 Hz IMU sensor inside the ball plus 12 dedicated tracking cameras to support semi-automated offside calls.
Maradona punched the ball into the goal vs England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final. The referee did not see it — and the goal counted.
Test 7Exceptions and edge casesTake a test
A goal is awarded the instant the ball wholly crosses the line. Spinning back into play afterwards is irrelevant.
Whether a goal counts depends on the ball's position. The defender's body parts are irrelevant for the goal-line judgement.
Outside interference stops play; with no offence by a player, the restart is a dropped ball.
Hitting the post is not a goal: the ball never wholly crossed the line between the posts, and it is still in play.
Denying a goal by deliberately handling the ball is a sending-off offence, and the opponents get a penalty kick.
A goal is awarded when the whole ball crosses the line — even if held by the goalkeeper. This is why keepers are taught to clear the line first.
A player can momentarily be outside the touchline (e.g., kicking the ball back from beyond it) and still score legally — provided the ball was in play.
Once the whole ball wholly crosses the line, the goal counts immediately, regardless of subsequent action.
The whistle ends the half. As long as the goal was scored before the whistle, it is valid — even by a fraction of a second.
The goalkeeper's position is their own choice. If they are absent and a goal is scored, the goal counts (and the keeper may be cautioned for delaying play).
Test 8ComparisonsTake a test
GLT focuses solely on whether the ball crossed the goal line. VAR addresses goals, penalties, red cards, and mistaken identity.
A football goal always counts one, basketball baskets count two or three, and a rugby union try is worth more than any of them.
Rugby has a complex scoring system with multiple ways to score different point values. Football is simpler.
An own goal counts for the other team exactly like any other goal; only the player credited with it is different.
The 'whole ball wholly across' standard has existed since the 19th century, but its enforcement has dramatically improved with GLT.
All four VAR categories use the same protocol: VAR alert → referee review → referee decision.
Free kicks may be direct or indirect (depending on offence). Penalty kicks are always direct, taken from 11 m, with one defender (goalkeeper).
Goal-line technology arrived in 2014, VAR in 2018 and semi-automated offside technology in 2022.
Football scoring is body-part agnostic (excluding hands/arms). All goals are worth 1 point.
Phantom goals are referee errors. Disallowed goals follow the rules but don't count due to an infringement.
Test 9Mini scenariosTake a test
The ball is still over the line, so it has not wholly crossed it. Touching the line is not enough.
Offside in the build-up disallows the goal, regardless of the small margin.
Direct free kicks may score directly. Indirect free kicks require another touch first.
Own goals count for the opposing team and are credited to the player who deflected the ball into their own net.
Deflections into one's own net are own goals. Intent does not matter — the team simply concedes.
A goal cannot be scored straight off the scorer's hand or arm, even by accident, so VAR has it ruled out.
If a teammate immediately before the goal handles the ball (deliberately or accidentally) leading to the goal, the goal is disallowed.
Handling outside the penalty area is a direct-free-kick offence. The goal would be ruled out due to the offence.
The whistle ends the half, and nothing after it can count, however close.
When VAR confirms the on-field decision, the goal stands. Play resumes normally with a kick-off.
Test 10Mixed reviewTake a test
A goal needs the whole ball past the whole of the line (C). A, B and D are each still partly over the line.
The referee is the sole authority. Technology informs but does not replace the referee.
Football's scoring is uniform — every goal counts as 1.
GLT = Goal-Line Technology, an automated system to detect line crossings.
VAR = Video Assistant Referee — an off-pitch official who reviews specific decisions on video.
Deliberate handball voids the goal under Law 12.
Own goals add to the opposing team's score and are credited to the player who deflected it in.
VAR is restricted to those four 'game-changing' categories.
The video team checks the footage and advises a review; the on-field official watches the monitor and decides.
GLT came first, then VAR, then semi-automated offside calls.