What does the advantage rule in soccer mean? Here’s an excellent explanation of the advantage rule in from US Soccer in the video below. Essentially, the advantage rule means that the referee lets play continue. The ref doesn’t call a foul if the team that has the soccer ball is still in an advantageous position. As in they are building up and attack and might score a goal. Really, it’s one of the better rules in soccer and should be applied to other sports.
Afterwards, the referee can call the foul if the play doesn’t develop. Or retroactively give a player who caused the foul a yellow card. The advantage rule enables the game to keep flowing. The rule allows the offensive team with the ball to stay on the attack despite being fouled. A good referee with experience knows when to use the advantage rule and let play continue. It’s just one more reason soccer is the beautiful game with less stops and starts than most other sports.
Advantage rule: allows play to continue when an offense occurs and the non-offending team will benefit from the advantage and penalizes the offense if the anticipated advantage does not ensue at that time or within a few seconds. From the FA.
Here’s the advantage rule explanation from US Soccer.
Messi doesn’t dive of course or try to draw the referee into calling fouls.
It’s impressive when you see someone like Lionel Messi pushed or pulled but still he keeps going. The referee doesn’t call the foul because he sees Messi still in the advantage. The ref lets Messi keep dribbling up the field and in to the attacking third. Of course then Messi makes a pass that enables his team to score.
It’s almost like Messi and his team should get extra points if he beats defenders while being fouled and helps his team score a goal. And of course Messi has done this numerous times! Of course the a good referee will go back and give the player who was trying to pull Messi down a yellow card. Which really tops every thing since not only did the team get scored on but a defender got a yellow card.
The advantage rule in soccer is actual one of the better laws of the game. It just requires an experienced referee to make the right call on the advantage rule when a play is happening and a foul has occurred but the other team might just score a goal or lead to a play that will result in a goal.