A sliding tackle or slide tackle is a skill in football in which a player attempts to take the ball away from an opposing player by deliberately leaving his or her feet and sliding along the ground with one leg extended to push the ball away from the opposing player. Sliding tackles can often be sources of controversy, particularly when players being tackled fall down over the tackler's foot (or the ball stopped by the tackler's foot), and penalties, free kicks and cards are assessed (or are conspicuous by their absence).
Commonly associated fouls and misconduct
A sliding tackle is not in itself foul play, however there are a number of fouls that commonly occur during the execution of a sliding tackle. Example of such fouls punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick include:
- When a player tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball;
- When a player in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:
- kicks or attempts to kick an opponent;
- trips or attempts to trip an opponent;
- raises his/her cleats perpendicular to the field.
Playing in a dangerous manner is punishable by an indirect free kick. A foul sliding tackle may also constitute misconduct, resulting in either yellow card (caution) or a red card (send off). In particular a tackle "which endangers the safety of an opponent, must be sanctioned as serious foul play" (i.e. the player must be sent off). Slide tackles from behind or with both legs extended have now been outlawed due to the injury and danger to other players that it causes.
Strategy
The slide tackle is attractive to the defender because they allow him or her to cover a larger area of ground while attempting to dispossess an opponent. It is often a last gasp attempt to disposess an opponent due to frequent misses and the difficulty of recovering in the event the slide tackle fails to take the ball away. After a slide tackle, the tackler is left sitting or lying on the ground with one leg extended. The defender also runs the risk of personal injury brought on by rocks and other object that can cut and bruise him/her. Ideally, the other foot ends up folded underneath his or her rear end, where it can then be used to push the tackler back up to his or her feet to continue play.
References
Sliding tackles. BBC Sport - Football. BBC.
