Tackle (football Move) - Association Football

Association Football

In association football, a player tackles an opponent by taking control of the ball from them. This is achieved by using either leg to wrest possession from the opponent, or sliding in on the grass to knock the ball away. The target of the tackle must always be the ball, otherwise it may be deemed as illegal by the referee, especially if the player makes contact with his opponent before the ball, or makes unfair contact with the player after playing the ball. If the tackle comes from the front or the side and succeeds in touching the ball first a player may still be penalised if the tackle endangers an opponent. Tackling with both legs is illegal. Although tackles from behind were formerly illegal, tackles can now be legally made from any direction, so long as contact with the ball is made and the tackle is not excessively dangerous. This explicitly includes "scissoring" (tackling with legs apart, so as to trap the opponent's leg or legs in between), which is likely to be punished with a straight ejection (red card), as it poses a high risk of severe knee injury to the player being tackled. If a tackle is deemed legal, then play continues.

Tackling with studs up is considered dangerous, although it is not always punished.