During this game in the Dutch lower league the referee accidentally had his moment of fame. Watch him kicking the ball in the goal which made the team furious.
In the Dutch lower league, the referee has just scored 😭😭😭pic.twitter.com/OEz1VJmL2I
— The 44 ⚽️ (@The_Forty_Four) March 22, 2025
According to FIFA’s rules, which are also followed by the KNVB, the referee is considered a “neutral object” on the field. This means that if the ball hits the referee and then goes into the goal, play must be stopped immediately and resumed with a dropped ball, unless the ball was already heading into the goal without the referee playing a decisive role.
Since 2019, a revised rule states that if the ball touches the referee and then goes to a teammate, leads to a scoring opportunity, or directly results in a goal, the game must be restarted with a dropped ball for the opposing team. This prevents the referee from unintentionally influencing the score.
In this particular match, the goal would therefore not count, and the referee should restart play with a dropped ball at the spot where they were struck. This ensures fairness in the game and avoids controversial decisions.