Soccer corners explained: Deadly for defenders

The corner is considered one of the most dangerous situations in soccer. Experts estimate that every fourth goal scored comes from a “dead ball” situation – that is, a corner, a penalty, or a free kick. As a result, every time the ball gets deflected out of play and the referee awards a corner, the crowd audibly ramps up their cheering and hearts on both sides start beating a little faster.

The history of the corner kick

As with most soccer rules, the concept of a corner kick originated in the UK. The city of Sheffield is considered the home of modern soccer, and it was there that the “Sheffield Rules” to the game were developed between 1857 and 1877. After that, the British Football Association finalized a national set of rules that included many aspects of the Sheffield game, including corners, throw-ins, and goal kick rules.

When is a corner kick awarded?

Rules around corner kicks are determined by IFAB, the world’s governing body for the laws of soccer. In the Bundesliga, they are enforced by the DFB (the German Football Association). A referee must award a corner kick when the following three criteria are met:

• The ball completely crosses the goal-line, either in the air or on the ground.
• The ball goes behind the goal-line, but no goal is scored.
• The ball was last touched by a member of the defending team.

The player taking the corner kick may not touch the ball again until another player has done so. This is to stop players dribbling the ball into the goal area. If, for example, the ball bounces directly back to the player from the goal post, they must not touch it.

If the ball crosses the goal-line directly from a corner and no goal is scored, the referee awards a goal kick if the ball was last touched by a member of the attacking team. If a defending team member puts the ball back out of play behind the goal-line, another corner is awarded.

Soccer corner flags for soccer fields

Corner flags stand proudly at the very tips of all four points of the soccer field. They are another way to mark out the boundaries of the field. Named after its shape, the corner arc is also located in all four corners of a soccer field. It is marked as a quarter-circle with a radius of one yard (one meter) and indicate where a corner kick can be taken. 

How to take a corner kick in soccer

Like all “dead ball” situations in soccer, there are strict rules that players must follow when taking a corner.

• The player taking the corner must place the ball inside the corner arc closest to where the ball crossed the line.
• The corner kick taker must play the ball with his foot. The ball must be stationary before being kicked.
• The ball is in play after it has been kicked with a foot and has clearly moved. The ball doesn’t necessarily have to leave the corner arc.
• Until the ball is back in play, all opposition players must stay at least 30 feet (9.15 meters) away from the corner arc.
• When a corner kick is taken, the offside rule is void.
• Taking a corner kick does not extend the official match time.

Possible sanctions when breaking the rules

With every rule comes a penalty for breaking it. Here’s what the referee is allowed to do if the corner kick rules are broken:

• An indirect free kick is awarded to the defending team if the player taking a corner kick touches the ball again after it has been played and before it hits another player.
• If the corner kick taker commits a handball offense, a direct free kick is awarded to the opposition. If the offense occurs inside the kicker’s penalty area, a penalty kick is awarded, unless the corner kick taker is the goalkeeper, in which case an indirect free kick is awarded instead.
• If the corner-taker deliberately kicks the ball at an opponent in order to regain possession, the referee will allow play to continue, on the condition that the kick was not done with malicious intent, recklessness, or negligence. Otherwise, the corner is retaken.

Why is a corner kick so dangerous?

When there is a corner kick, there is a potential scoring opportunity, as the opposition’s goal is just 37 yards (34 meters) away from the corner arc. As a result, teams practice corner kicks rigorously on the training ground every week, leading to effective tactics and innovative plays during games.

Corner kicks are also risky due to their frequency. They crop up so much (an average of six per match) that they’re bound to produce goals. In the 2021/22 Bundesliga season, Bayern Munich were awarded the most corner kicks (208 in 34 matches) and they sure as heck made their opposition pay.

Can you score a goal directly from a corner kick?

Yes, it’s legal to do but insanely difficult to pull off. Interestingly, it was the Scottish Football Association who proposed this rule way back in 1924, which was then adopted by FIFA. Players who have scored a direct goal from a corner kick often have an incredible shooting or crossing technique, with a significant amount of curve.

Fun facts about corners in soccer

• The first officially recorded direct goal from a corner kick was scored by Billy Alston on 21st August 1924 in a Scottish Football League match.
• Eintracht Frankfurt’s Bernd Nickel is considered the undisputed master of corners, scoring four of his 141 Bundesliga goals directly from corner kicks.
• The first corner kick goal in an international match was scored in 1924 by Argentina's Cesaréo Onzari against Uruguay. Since Uruguay were Olympic champions at the time, a goal directly from a corner kick is known in South America to this day as a “gol olímpico” or “Olympic goal”.