Freeze the original shot
Imagine fictional Attacker A shoots while teammate B is beyond the ball and the second-last opponent in the opponents’ half. The shot strikes the post and rebounds to B, who plays it. The relevant offside position is assessed at A’s play, not first measured when the ball comes back from the post.
IFAB specifically includes gaining an advantage by playing a ball rebounding from a goalpost or crossbar. The frame showing B receiving the rebound is therefore not enough to settle the original positional question.
Do not treat the post as a deliberate opponent play
A post is not an opponent choosing to play the ball. The deliberate-play considerations for an opponent do not arise merely because the direction changed on contact with the goal frame. The rebound is part of the same relevant attacking sequence.
A deliberate save by an opponent also has its own treatment under Law 11. Do not simplify all defender touches into a universal reset. A deflection, a save and a deliberate play must be distinguished under the actual rule.
A position alone still is not the whole offence
Being in an offside position is not automatically an offence without the required involvement. In the simple example, B plays the rebounding ball, establishing that involvement. A different attacker who stays uninvolved needs separate analysis rather than being penalized just for appearing in a still image.
For a replay, capture the teammate’s contact frame, the attacker’s relevant position, the rebound and the later involvement. A tight close-up of the shot can omit the attacker’s position, while a later goal celebration can omit the decisive touch.
Use the official decision and complete angles when the second-last opponent or ball position is unclear. The practical lesson is to follow the sequence backward from the rebound to the teammate’s play, rather than assuming a change in direction starts a brand-new offside assessment. That explains why a spectacular finish after a post rebound can still be disallowed.
The goal frame’s contact changes direction, not the identity of the teammate’s original play.
Related questions
Does the ball hitting the post put an offside attacker onside?
No. Apply the position and involvement rules from the relevant teammate play.
Sources and scope
Scope notes distinguish published documentation, supplied information and editorial methods. They do not report a hands-on service test.
- IFAB Law11 — Goalpost/crossbar rebound, deliberate-save and active-involvement distinctions
