What happens when a referee scores a goal in football?

Imagine a football game where a ball accidentally hits the referee and ends up in the back of the net. What happens then? Is it considered a goal? or not? It’s a scenario that rarely happens, but when it does, it’s always memorable.

Football is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is a beautiful game with a lot of unpredictable moments that make it very exciting to watch. Sometimes, the ball can deflect off a match official and change the direction a team wants to go. But in some rare cases, the ball can deflect off the referee and end up in the goal post.

Law prior to June 1, 2019

Prior to the 2019 law change, referees were considered to be on par with the crossbar. This meant that if the ball struck the referee and went into the goal post, the goal would still stand. This rule was similar to the one that allows a goal to be awarded if the ball hits the post or crossbar and goes into the net.

Referees who scored goals

SV Werder Bremen v 1. FC Union Berlin - Bundesliga

The role of a referee in football is to control the game, keep it flowing, and ensure that both teams play by the rules. They make tough decisions that can impact the final outcome of the game. However, officials should never become part of the gameplay itself. They are there to observe and make calls, not to interfere.

Despite their efforts to avoid it, referees are bound to get in the way occasionally while running between two teams of 11 players. Players always try to outsmart and outplay each other with unexpected moves and electrifying pace, making it challenging for the referee to keep up.

Although referees position themselves carefully to avoid being in the path of a moving ball, they cannot evade every situation. At times, the ball collides with them, interfering with the natural course of the game.

Though rare, there have been recorded instances where the ball hits the referee and ends up in the goal post. At least two instances of this scenario have been recorded, although none of them have occurred in any major Western league or competition.

Ahmet Akçay – Besiktas vs Ankaragucu – 1986

In 1986, a controversial goal was scored during a Süper Lig match between Besiktas and Ankaragucu, which had a significant impact on the game's outcome. The goal, which proved to be the match-winner, was scored by none other than the referee himself, Ahmet Akçay.

During a scrappy play after a corner kick, an Ankaragucu player took a shot at goal, and unfortunately, the ball struck Ahmet on the head, causing him to fall to the ground. To the surprise of everyone, including the players and fans, the ball deflected into the net past the goalkeeper, and the goal was allowed to stand.

This unexpected turn of events cost Besiktas the match and, more importantly, three crucial points. If the match had ended in a draw, Besiktas would have won the league that year, as they finished just one point behind the champions, Galatasaray, with a better goal difference.

Ahmet's goal became a topic of controversy, and he had to face backlash from angry Besiktas fans. Nevertheless, the incident remains a unique moment in football history and is still remembered to this day.

Maurice Paarhuis - Harkemase Boys Vs HSV Hoek – 2019

In 2019, a bizarre incident occurred during a fourth-tier Dutch football match between Harkemase Boys and HSV Hoek. The incident involved referee Maurice Paarhuis, who unintentionally played a role in the goal that left many questioning its legitimacy.

During the match, the Harkemase Boys were leading 3-1, but HSV Hoek were on the attack, forcing the goalkeeper to come off his line to block a shot. The ball then ricocheted towards the goal mouth, where a scramble ensued, resulting in another shot at goal by an HSV player.

As the shot was blocked and rebounded towards the referee, Maurice Paarhuis, who was running towards the goal line to get a better view, inadvertently kicked the ball, sending it back towards the goal. The ball crossed the line just before being cleared by a defender.

In a surprising move, Paarhuis allowed the goal without hesitation and continued with the game, despite protests from the Harkemase Boys' players.

Fortunately, the goal did not affect the final outcome of the match, which ended 4-2. However, the incident sparked controversy and prompted a review of the rules, with many questioning whether the goal should have been disallowed.

Ultimately, Paarhuis made the right call according to the rules at the time, but the incident serves as a reminder of the unpredictable and sometimes bizarre nature of football.

Laws of the game amended

Prior to June 1, 2019, if a goal was scored after the ball hit the referee, it would still count and there was no remedy for it. This was an uncommon occurrence, but it was widely regarded as unfair. To address this issue, the laws of the game for the 2019-20 season were modified to provide for such a situation. These new laws went into effect on June 1, 2019, so most leagues and competitions are now being played under them.

The Dropped Ball Procedure

Bristol Rovers v Cheltenham Town - Carabao Cup First Round

If the ball touches the referee (or another match official) and goes into the goal, team possession changes, or a promising attack starts, a dropped ball is awarded. This means that the game is restarted with a dropped ball.

Note that additional changes have been made to the dropped ball procedure:

• If play is stopped inside the penalty area, the ball will be dropped for the goalkeeper.

• If play is stopped outside the penalty area, the ball will be dropped for one player of the team that last touched the ball at the point of the last touch.

• In all cases, all the other players (of both teams) must be at least 4m (4.5 yards) away.