Rules & tactics · 1912
The goalkeeper’s hands
The facts
- Before 1912, a goalkeeper could handle the ball anywhere in their own half.
- In 1912 the Law changed: a goalkeeper may handle the ball only inside their own penalty area. It is still the Law today.
- Goalkeepers rarely wore gloves before the 1970s. Today almost every keeper does.
The story
- Goalkeepers were first named in the Laws in 1871, allowed to handle the ball “for the protection of his goal”.
- From 1887 a keeper could not handle the ball in the other team’s half, so their hands worked anywhere in their own half.
- Wales goalkeeper Leigh Richmond Roose loved to handle the ball far upfield. It has been said that the 1912 change was made because of keepers like him.
- Before the 1970s goalkeepers rarely wore gloves. Today it is very unusual to see a keeper without them.
- One more change came in 1992: a keeper may not pick up a ball a teammate kicks back to them on purpose.
Take it to your game
Inside your box, come and claim the ball with your hands and shout “Keeper!”. Outside it, play like a defender: clear it with your feet, or stay home and let a teammate win it.
Sources
- Wikipedia · Goalkeeper (association football)
- Wikipedia · Laws of the Game (association football)
- Wikipedia · Kit (association football)
- IFAB Laws of the Game · Law 12 Fouls and Misconduct