Can You Use Your Shoulder in Soccer?

Yes, you can legally use your shoulder in soccer.

Your shoulder can be used to hit the ball or bump another player (I’ll explain later).

In this article, I’ll address the right way to play the ball with your shoulder. Also, let’s discuss how to use it to get the ball from your opponent.

What Part of the Arm Can You Use?

A player can only use their shoulder to play the ball. The arm and hands are not allowed and the referee will award the other team a free or penalty kick.

There’s a grey area where many players don’t really understand the point where the shoulder ends and the arm begins. As a result, they tend to forgo using their shoulder altogether.

Check out the graphic to the right that illustrates it better than words can describe.

For those moments that the shoulder comes in “handy” (no pun intended), it can be effective and impress fans.

Case in point. Here’s an example of Cristiano Ronaldo using his shoulder to pass in the World Cup. Pretty clever stuff 🤩

Can I Use My Shoulder to Bump Other Players?

It is also legal to go shoulder-to-shoulder (also known as a shoulder tackle) with an opponent as long as you make a play on the ball.

You can do so as long as it is not considered dangerous, careless, reckless, or using excessive force.

This 👆 means that you can’t plow your shoulder into your opponent. Leave this up to American football.

As you may experienced, referees will call shoulder-to-shoulder differently from one game to another. It is not so cut and dry.

The best thing you can do is bump shoulders with the body. At the same time, lean in a bit and maintain your balance. Never extend your arms out.

I’ve seen many great defenders in youth soccer be able to get the ball back by using their shoulders to “push” their opponent off the ball. This is an underutilized part of the defense.

If a referee determines that a play was dangerous, careless, reckless, or using excessive force, the player will most likely get cautioned or even get a red card pulled on them. So beware!

Final Thoughts

I hope this article has cleared up some misconceptions.

A player should feel comfortable using their shoulder whether to pass the ball or make a defensive play on the ball. It is perfectly legal to do so.

Engaging every part of your body to play the game can be a player’s advantage.

Using a shoulder to fight for a 50/50 ball can make a huge difference in a soccer match.

As youth players mature, the game gets more physical. It is crucial to use your upper body to defend, fight, and shield the ball.

Become a well-rounded player and consider adding your shoulder game to your arsenal!

Frequently Asked Questions