Definition of goal kick

The term "goal kick" in soccer (or "football" as it is known in many parts of the world) has a fairly straightforward origin. The idea of a goal kick came about as a way to return play to the opposing team after the ball had gone out of bounds behind their own goal. In soccer, a goal is scored when the ball is kicked into the opposing team's net. So, when play is stopped because the ball has gone out of bounds behind a team's goal, the referee awards a goal kick to the opposing team. The player taking the goal kick is the goalkeeper, and they are allowed to kick the ball from any point within the goal area to restart play. The term "goal kick" comes from the fact that this type of kick is awarded at the opposite end of the pitch from where a goal has been scored. In contrast, a corner kick is awarded when the ball goes out of bounds behind the goal line (but not behind the goal), while a kick-off is awarded at the beginning of each half and after a goal has been scored. The concept of the goal kick as a means of restarting play has been a part of soccer since the sport's early days, and it remains a vital element of the game today.