1
You're offside if you're closer to the opponent's goal than both the ball and the second-to-last defender when the ball is played forward. But you only get penalized if you're actually involved in the play. The rule has changed over the years, now focusing on whether you're interfering rather than just where you're standing. VAR has made calls tighter but also sparked endless debates about armpit offsides.
Filippo Inzaghi was famously described as being "born offside" due to his risky positioning, yet his timing was so exceptional that he scored over 300 career goals by mastering the offside trap.
Robbie
Jan 23, 2026
Have a different take?
Think there's another way to define Offside? The Football Dictionary is built by the community — submit your own definition and let others vote on it.
Submit Your Definition