Offside!

FIFA had been messing with the offside rule for years now and now it would seem that the rule changes had become so frequent, FIFA is now confusing even football fans who had been watching and playing the game for years.

In the World Cup quarterfinals match between Spain and Paraguay, a ball was floated into the Spanish box towards Paraguayan striker Oscar Cardozo. A Spanish defender went up in the air to challenge Cardozo for the ball. The ball went over both their heads and landed at the feet of Paraguayan striker Nelson Valdez. Valdez slotted home from close range but the effort was ruled out by an offside decision. Replays showed that Valdez was onside but Cardozo was offside and the offside was given against him. For some reason that eludes me, the commentator at the match says that the goal should have stood because Cardozo was “not interfering with play”.

How is that possible? Cardozo, who was offside, clearly went for the ball. Yes, Cardozo didn’t touch the ball but you don’t have to touch the ball to be interfering with play. The Spanish defender would have never left Valdez if Cardozo wasn’t there so how can anyone say he wasn’t interfering with play?

As Brian Clough once said, “If he’s not interfering with play, why is he on the pitch?” In Cardozo’s case, “If he’s not interfering with play, why is he on the pitch, jumping for the ball, and taking a defender off Valdez?”

Cardozo was clearly interfering with play! If the commentator (among many others) says he’s not (and they clearly believe they are right), then FIFA need to clear up the offside rules once and for all because I cannot understand how Cardozo was NOT interfering with play. To me, he clearly was.