As a soccer fan, you need to know all the little things about soccer and all the dos and don’ts. Using the shoulder is one of the confusing things that many fans are confused about. Soccer is described as a game of feet and heads, and while this is true in some instances, other body parts can be involved, although they are not encouraged. When using the shoulder in soccer, it is risky because if the ball hits it too low, then it will be considered a handball and a foul will be called.
You can use your shoulders in soccer but only to a certain extent. We will discuss the uses of the shoulder in this article so that you do not need to worry about fouls and know how the game is played using shoulders.
Can you play soccer with your shoulder?
The answer to the main argument of this article is Yes! You can use your shoulder in soccer. However, there are a few buts while using the shoulder in soccer. There are some specific situations when you can use your shoulder. When playing soccer, you can juggle the ball with your shoulders, defend yourself with your shoulders, challenge another player, land the ball on their shoulders, and score goals with your shoulder. But you have to be careful that while trying to hit the ball with your shoulder it does not accidentally fall on your arm, because then it will be considered as a handball or foul.
When you can use shoulder in soccer?
Even though using your shoulders in soccer can be a bit controversial and challenging, there are a few times when using your shoulders are quite useful in soccer. The uses of shoulders in soccer are given below:
To Score Goals
You can drive the ball into the net using your shoulder in soccer. For example, if the ball was kicked towards your head by your teammate hoping to score with a header kick if it came nearer to your shoulder than your feet or head, you could potentially hit the ball very quickly with your shoulder.
To Hand The Ball off to a Fellow Team Member
When you want to pass the ball to your teammates you can do it in a lot of ways including passing the ball with your shoulder. If you think passing the ball with a shoulder hit would be easier than a header when the ball is coming towards you in the air, then that is what you should do. This would not be illegal or foul.
To Trick the Opponent Players
Shoulder passes show a player’s confidence when they are able to do that. Shoulder passes are also a great trick to use against your opponents. You can think that your opponents are going to think you will most probably land the ball on your chest in the air and control it when it is high in the air and coming towards you. But if you use a shoulder hit to a teammate with the ball while passing it, you have a chance to take advantage of your opponent’s mistakes.
Read Also: Do USL Players Get Paid?
Shoulder to shoulder
When two players are running very close to one another and each is trying to reach the ball before the other, it is allowed for them to touch shoulders and apply a slight force. Soccer refers to this type of contact as shoulder to shoulder contact, and it is permissible as long as neither player uses their shoulder aggressively to harm the opponent player.
You can use your shoulder to juggle the ball
Juggling the ball with your shoulder is probably one of the most entertaining soccer moves to show off the soccer talent of a soccer player. Because it is not easy and not everyone can do it. Keeping the ball on your shoulders while running is an art. If you’re already winning the match, it’s a good way to keep the crowd amused because controlling the ball is not always the best method for actually playing the game. So, even though juggling the soccer ball is not a very well performed technique that is counted as part of soccer, it is great for the audience or practice.
When are Shoulder Hits Offensive?
Soccer rules allow you to use your shoulder as long as you do not commit a handball offense. The laws of soccer do not prohibit a player from passing the ball this way or even touching the ball with their shoulder, even though it is uncommon to see a player make a pass this way. So, it is not a penalty for a player whose shoulder touches the ball instead of his arm. But still, people get confused and the reason is that they are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms. Many people still have an unclear idea about where the shoulder ends and arms start.
Final Thoughts
When a shoulder hit takes place in a soccer game, it is completely up to the referee whether that move is foul or fair. If it goes against the rules of soccer then the player who uses a shoulder shot will face consequences. But if the shoulder hit is fine then the players can play ahead. To not commit any foul by using the shoulder one should know the exact place of shoulders and hands and know the rules of using shoulders in soccer. In this way, they will not commit any shoulder fouls in the game.
Leave a Reply