Why do soccer players lay behind the wall for a free kick?
THE STRATEGIES carried out by soccer teams require a lot of planning and preparation.
In case a player from the opposing team attempts to run the ball passed the defensive wall, the defending team implements a specific play.
Why do soccer players lay behind the wall for a free kick?
In the game of soccer or international football, a free kick is granted to one team when the referee deems the opponent's play careless, reckless, or using excessive force.
When one team is granted a free kick against the opposing team, the latter forms a defensive wall in front of the goal as the former takes advantage of the free kick granted to them.
In order to block the success of the free kick, one of the defending players lies behind the wall so they can position themselves to break the offensive team's free kick play.
The player lying behind the wall then performs a draught excluder move that is designed to prevent the ball from reaching its goal.
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This is the measure the defensive team takes in order to stop the free kick from becoming a scoring point.
It is considered especially effective if the offense decides to cleverly orchestrate a lower-driven shot rather than taking the ball over the defensive wall.
Who started lying down behind the wall?
In July 2013, Brazilian football star Ricardinho was one of the first players to go viral for lying down behind the defensive wall.
In Figueirense's match against Palmeiras, Ricardinho blocked Jorge Valdivia's free kick.
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In 2019, Marcelo Brozovic was another athlete to go viral when he countered Luis Suarez's free kick.
During the 2022 World Cup in November, one of Neymar's highlights was when he performed a draught excluder move to counter Andrija Zivković's free-kick play.
As a result of his defensive play, Neymar sustained a lateral ligament injury to his right ankle along with small bone swelling.
Who goes into the free-kick wall in soccer?
Typically, a free-kick wall is made up of three or more players from the defending team.
All of the players except one face the attacker, while the one remaining defender faces the goalkeeper.
In place of facing the goalkeeper, the one defender can also choose to lie down behind the wall.
This way, it positions the defense to act in case the attacker decides to go for a low-driven shot.