Throw-in

A throw-in is a method of restarting play in a game of association football when the whole of ball passes over the touchline.

[6] Skillful attackers can sometimes take advantage of this rule by getting behind the last defender(s) to receive the throw-in and having a clear path to goal.

The optimal release angle for attaining maximum distance is about 30 degrees above the horizontal, according to researchers at Brunel University.

Opposing players failing to respect the required distance (2 m) before the ball is in play, or otherwise unfairly distracts or impedes the thrower may receive a caution (yellow card) for unsporting behaviour.

[8] However, if the ball touches the ground before entering the field (but in was taken correctly), the throw-in is retaken by the same team from the same position.

He stands with the ball in his hand, while the two sides form in deep lines opposite one another: he must strike it straight out between them.

[22] At its second meeting, on 10 November 1863, the Football Association agreed that "when the ball is out of bounds it should be kicked or thrown in straight by the person who should first touch it down".

Only part of the suggested change was approved by the FA's meeting: the throw-in would be awarded against the team who kicked the ball out of play, but it could not be replaced by a kick-in.

[32] A subsequent extraordinary general meeting of the FA was held on 17 April, at which the Clydesdale amendment was reconsidered and passed.

[33] As a result of these developments, the throw-in of 1877 looked quite similar to today's: it was awarded against the team who kicked the ball out of play, and it could be thrown in any direction.

It is reported that the England international Norman Bailey was capable of propelling the ball "from the centre of the ground into the goal mouth".

[35] One of the topics settled at this conference was the throw-in: in April 1882, at the proposal of the Third Lanark club, the Scottish FA changed its rugby-style throw-in law (i.e. one-handed, perpendicular to the touchline) to the version in use today, i.e. thrown in any direction, but with two hands over the head;[36] while the English laws, as described above, allowed the ball to be thrown with one hand in any direction.

[40] In 2002, Aston Villa goalkeeper Peter Enckelman scored an own goal from a team-mate's throw back to him when he miss-controlled the ball but appeared to touch it slightly with his foot before it crossed the line though Enkelman denied this.

[41][42] The incident received widespread media attention due to it occurring in an important Birmingham derby match in the Premier League.

After the ball was permitted to be thrown in any direction in 1877, the very next year (1878) a new law was introduced to allow a player to be offside from a throw-in.

[30] In 1871 a law-change introduced by Wanderers FC forbade players from playing the ball until it had travelled at least six yards.

[61] In 1931, on a proposal by the Irish Football Association, this was changed to an award of the throw-in the opposing team (except for a violation of the double-touch rule, which remained punishable by an indirect free-kick).

[63] In 1997, this wording was updated to punish with a yellow card an opponent who "unfairly distracts or impedes the thrower" for "unsporting behaviour".

[64] In 2016, the same punishment was applied to an opponent who approaches closer than the minimum 2 metre distance; it was further specified than an indirect free-kick must be awarded if the ball has already been thrown in when the referee stops play to deal with the offence.

[69][70] In the English Football League, some teams with a long-throw specialist provided towels at home matches to allow the ball to be dried to improve accuracy; the EFL banned this with effect from the 2023–24 season to cut timewasting and improve ball-in-play statistics; the concurrent adoption of the multiball system should ensure a dry ball is available regardless.

[75] Iranian defender Milad Mohammadi made a failed attempt at a flip throw in the group-stage match against Spain at the 2018 FIFA World Cup;[76] two years later, compatriot Nader Mohammadi scored using the technique in a domestic match (the goalkeeper touched the ball on its way in).