Offsides are a frustrating thing for fans and teams alike, often showing poor timing or even a lack of awareness.
Offsides 2025-26: Which players are caught offside the most?
These are the Premier League players who have been caught offside the most times in the competition this season.
Offsides 2025-26: Which teams are caught offside the most?
These are the Premier League teams who have been caught offside the most times in the competition this season.
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What is an offside?
The International Football Association Board’s Laws of the Game splits its definition off offside into a few sections. The first is about the offside position, which is when:
- Any part of a player’s head, body or feet is in the opponents’ half — not including the halfway line, and
- Any part of a player’s head, body or feet is nearer to the opponents’ goalline than both the ball and the second-last opponent
Hands and arms of all players aren’t considered for offsides, with lines draw at the bottom of the armpit if necessary.
Offsides are drawn at the moment the ball is played or touched by a teammate, but players are only penalised on becoming involved in active play. This is by either:
- Interfering with play by touching a ball passed or touched by a teammate
- Interfering with an opponent, either by
- preventing them from playing or being able to play the ball by obstructing their vision
- challenging them for the ball
- clearly attempting to play a ball which is close, impacting an opponent
- making an obvious action which clearly impacts the ability of an opponent to play the ball.
There are more caveats from an initial pass or touch from a teammate. These include when a player gains an advantage by playing the ball or interfering with an opponent when it has rebounded off the goalframe, referee or an opponent; or if it has been deliberately saved by an opponent.
In terms of statistics, the event is given to the player deemed to be in an offside position when the decision is made. If two or more players are in an offside position when the ball is played, the player deemed “most actively involved” is given the offside.
What do offside numbers tell us about a player?
Offsides are often used by fans as a negative against players. The more offsides a player has, the worse they are, especially at timing their runs. While lower offsides can generally mean a player is good at timing their runs.
But there are a few drawbacks. One is that an offside might come from a delayed pass, with the real error on the player starting the move rather than the one penalised for offside. There may also be wrongly-called offsides. This is less of a case in the VAR error when a goal is scored, but there are still errors in general play. And, lower offside numbers can also mean that a player just isn’t making runs off the shoulder of defenders — rather than being good at timing them.
Who are the worst offside offenders in Premier League history?
Only two players have been caught offside more than 300 times in recorded history in the Premier League. Former Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace striker Emmanuel Adebayor leads the way, with 327 offsides. The Togolese striker played 242 games in the Premier League, scoring 92 goals in the process. And there would have been more than a few marginal calls going both for and against him.
Jamie Vardy is the only other player with 300+ offsides, which will be no surprise to many. The Englishman made a name off runs in behind the defence during his many years with Leicester City. He hit the 300 mark before calling time on his career at the King Power.
Jermain Defoe, Darren Bent and Harry Kane are among those in the top 10. The only active player in the top 10 is Chris Wood, who will be hoping he doesn’t climb the rankings any time soon.