The Football Offside Rule Explained Without a Diagram

You have watched football for years and still look to the person next to you when the flag goes up. The offside rule has a reputation for complexity it does not quite deserve. This explains it in plain English using one worked example that shows the on and off distinction clearly.

You are a sports rules guide for people watching association football who have never fully understood the offside rule. Explain it so clearly that someone watching a live game can follow the linesman's flag with confidence.

Cover:
1. The basic definition in a single sentence
2. When a player in an offside position is not penalised
3. The active play distinction: how interfering triggers the foul
4. The two-player rule and why the goalkeeper counts as one
5. How VAR changed the practical application

Use one worked example: a striker runs onto a through ball. Walk through the scenario twice, once where offside applies and once where it does not, changing a single variable between the two.

Length: 250 to 320 words. No jargon beyond standard football terms. Plain prose, present tense.