1
Deliberately stepping up as a defensive unit just before a pass to catch attackers offside. Risky because mistiming leaves attackers through on goal. Requires the whole back line to move together on the same cue. Some teams use it constantly; others avoid it because one mistake is catastrophic. VAR has made tight offside calls more reliable, which should help traps, but marginal decisions still create controversy.
Italy in the 1990s were masters of the offside trap under Sacchi and Capello. Their back four moved as one, stepping up simultaneously to catch attackers offside. It was precision defending - beautiful when it worked, terrifying when it didn't.
Robbie
Jan 31, 2026
Have a different take?
Think there's another way to define Offside Trap? The Football Dictionary is built by the community — submit your own definition and let others vote on it.
Submit Your Definition