If you’ve ever watched a soccer game and wondered why players don’t just yell ‘mine’ when the ball is coming their way, it’s not out of politeness for other teammates, it's actually considered breaking the rules! Soccer has plenty of unwritten rules and quirky traditions all players follow, but out of them all the one that surprises new fans and players the most is not being able to shout ‘mine’ at the ball. As harmless as it may seem to yell dibs when you’re going for the ball, it’s banned because it can be considered deceptive and could even lead to a foul or yellow card if the referee thinks it was said to mislead or confuse an opponent. Let’s take a closer look at the reasoning behind why you can’t say ‘mine’ in soccer so there’s no confusion at your next big game!

Why ‘Mine’ Can Get You in Trouble

There seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding the unwritten rule that says players can’t yell ‘mine’ during a game without risking a foul or yellow card, but when you know the reasoning behind it, it makes perfect sense. Saying ‘mine’ might sound innocent enough, but it’s actually considered ‘unsportsmanlike behaviour’ by soccer officials because of how distracting and misleading it can be to opponents. When you think about it, soccer is a game that involves a lot of communication, where instructions are constantly being shouted out throughout a match. 

So, let’s say, for example, you’re in the middle of a match and your opponent is about to take possession of the ball, so you shout ‘mine’ and they hesitate, thinking it’s their teammate calling for it. This leads them to stop what they're doing, giving you enough time to sneak in and take the ball, giving your team the upper hand and possibly even leading to a win. The referee can then decide if the intent behind saying ‘mine’ was meant to distract or mislead the opposing team and punish you for it with a foul or yellow card!

What the Rules Say

If you want to be technical about it, yelling out ‘mine’ during a match isn’t a written rule or considered an automatic foul! It’s up to the referee to decide if you did it on purpose to distract or deceive your opponent and gain the upper hand. But if you were just calling out to a teammate when no other opponent was nearby and there weren’t bad intentions behind it, the referee would let it slide. If they consider you not in the clear, however, you can expect an ‘indirect free kick’ awarded to the opposing team, and possibly even a yellow card for your unsportsmanlike behaviour. 

Another phrase that falls along the same lines as ‘mine’ is the term ‘leave it’, which is also considered against the rules if used with ill intent. The phrase used to be super common for players to yell at each other when they wanted a teammate to leave the ball alone, but now it's considered banned in professional soccer for the exact same reason as ‘mine’! 

The Famous Story of Unsportsmanlike Behaviour

There’s actually a famous example where a player shouted out to change the outcome of a legendary game! In 2017, Harry Atrer was playing for his team Bournemouth when he shouted “Jack’s!” during a high stakes Premier League match against Watford. Nathaniel Chalobah, who was playing for Watford, had thought that the call came from his fellow teammate, so he left the ball, leaving it wide open for Bournemouth to take possession. The outcome of the game was completely changed by this crucial moment, and although he wasn’t reprimanded for it at the time, the former referee came forward years later and said he should have 100% been booked for it. This is a perfect example of why seemingly innocent terms like ‘mine’ or ‘leave it’ or even ‘Jack’s’ can be used to deceive or confuse an opponent leading to an unfair advantage!

What You Can Say Instead

Now that you know the reason why certain things are banned from being said in soccer, there are still plenty of sayings that are okay! Any good coach will train their team on getting into the habit of using actual names instead of pronouns during the game. For example, shout “Jessica’s ball!” or “Jessica’s!” instead of “Her ball!”, so it can’t be misunderstood or cause confusion to the opposing team. 

When it comes to goalkeepers, you may have noticed they always yell “keeper” or their own name to signal that they're going for the ball. You could also say things like “man on”, “time”, or “switch”, which are considered safe terms in soccer. If there’s ever a time when you aren’t sure if something’s safe to say, the best thing to do is just not say it. It could confuse your opponents and lead to consequences for your own team.

At the end of the day, it’s better to win fair and square than with tactics to deceive your opponents! The ‘mine’ rule wasn’t put in place to silence you or make it harder for your team to succeed, it’s about making sure the game is fair for everyone involved. So next time you’re in the middle of a match and feel the urge to yell out ‘mine’ or ‘leave it’, just remember that it could confuse or deceive the opposing team and lead to a foul or yellow card which nobody wants!