Foul, advantage and card: what does the referee consider?
The referee assesses the contact, the intensity and the context before calling a foul or cautioning.
Short answer: the referee assesses whether there was prohibited contact, the intensity and the way the play happened to decide whether to call a foul. They may play advantage if the fouled team keeps possession and a good chance of continuing the attack. Cards punish behavior: yellow cautions, and red sends off. The decision depends on the Laws of the Game and on the referee's interpretation.
Criteria for calling a foul
In broad terms, the Laws of the Game punish actions such as kicking, pushing, striking, tripping or holding an opponent in a careless, reckless manner or with excessive force. These three levels help decide the sanction:
- Careless: lack of attention or care. In general, only the foul is called.
- Reckless: the action disregards the danger or consequences for the opponent. It usually leads to a caution (yellow).
- Excessive force: it endangers the opponent's safety. It leads to a sending-off (red).
Advantage
Advantage allows play to continue if the team that suffered the offence has a good chance of continuing the attack. The referee makes a gesture with both arms and watches the sequence. If the advantage does not materialize within a few moments, they may come back and call the original foul. If the offence deserved a card, the referee can caution at the next stoppage.
Cards
- Yellow: caution. Examples: reckless foul, delaying a restart, dissent, entering the field without permission.
- Red: sending-off. Examples: use of excessive force, stopping a goal with the hands (except a goalkeeper in their area), violent conduct or offensive language.
- Two yellows in the same match result in a red.
Examples
Example 1. A defender arrives late and catches the attacker's foot. It may be a reckless foul and lead to a yellow.
Example 2. A player is pulled by the shirt but continues the play and the team has a good chance. The referee may play advantage.
Example 3. A player strikes an opponent violently with the elbow, away from the ball. They may be sent off.
Interpretation
Even with clear criteria, each play has details that influence the decision, such as speed, angle and the context of the match. So different referees may have small disagreements. To check the official texts, consult IFAB's Laws of the Game and see the article on common mistakes in football and competitions on this site.