What defines an offside position?

A player is in an offside position if they are nearer to their opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent at the moment the ball is played. This definition is crucial in understanding the offside rule in soccer. The rule aims to prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage by simply positioning themselves close to the opponent's goal.

To break this down further, being in an offside position pertains to the moment the ball is played by a teammate, not when the player receives the ball. The key aspects are the location relative to the second last opponent (which is usually the last defender, unless the goalkeeper is the last one) and the ball itself. If a player is beyond both at the time the ball is played, they are considered to be offside, even if they don't ultimately participate in the play or touch the ball.

Other definitions do not accurately capture the entirety of the offside concept. For example, stating that a player is offside if they are behind the last defender does not consider the position of the ball, which is an integral part of determining offside. The notion of a player being offside simply by touching the ball last disregards the context of the play and the requirements for an offside decision