What Are the Differences Between a Soccer Tackle & Stealing the Ball?

Soccer is the world's most popular sport and is called "football" by countries outside North America. The rules of the game were designed in England, where the sport lives on through its passionate fans, but great players, teams and leagues are found in many countries. Tackling and stealing the ball from the other team are two of the game's most important defensive actions. They give your team possession of the ball and the opportunity to attack.

  1. Tackle and Steal

    • Soccer tackles, if not properly timed, can sometimes result in a foul, with the possibility of a yellow (warning) or red (expelled from game) card. However, if the player gets the ball without interfering the other player through contact, the play is considered stealing the ball. In order to qualify as a steal, the player who made the tackle must be in clear possession of the ball after the play. Often, players can vie for the ball shoulder-to-shoulder, without clear definition about who has possession.

    Ball First or Bust

    • Whether the referee calls a foul or not depends on whether the player making the tackle touched the ball before interfering with the player who had the ball. If he touched the ball first, the play is considered stealing the ball, and the game continues uninterrupted. If a player makes a tackle without getting to the ball first, he's called for a foul. If the foul happens inside his 18-yard line (penalty area) the offensive team receives a penalty kick.

    Positioning

    • A player controlling the ball can decrease the chances of a defender to take possession of the ball by shielding it, meaning he puts his body between the ball and the player. This move also increases the chance of drawing a tackle resulting in a foul. If the player is fouled when tackled, his team will receive a free kick. Free kicks allow the team to score goals or gain valuable territory.

    Referee

    • Tackling and stealing the ball play out hand-in-hand as the referee uses his judgment to determine whether a play is a tackle resulting in a foul or a clean check. It can be a fine line, as the play can sometimes look innocent to the inexperienced eye, when, in fact, the defender has committed a foul. Referees receive most of their loud jeering from fans because of the difficulty to determine whether a foul has been committed.