Procedure
- The ball is initially placed anywhere within the defending goal area. All opposing players must be outside the penalty area until the ball is in play. The ball must be kicked (a goalkeeper may not pick up the ball).
- The ball becomes in play as soon as it leaves the penalty area - if any player makes contact with the ball before it becomes in play the kick is retaken.
- A goal may be scored directly from a goal kick, but only against the opposing team. An own goal cannot be scored from a goal kick; in the highly unlikely circumstance that the ball happens to land directly into the kicker's own goal a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.
- A player may not be penalized for being in an offside position directly from a goal kick.
- Goal kicks are almost always taken by goalkeepers, however this is not compulsory under the laws of the game.
Read more about this topic: Goal Kick