American referee using spray can during MLS game.

[zava55]

This has been going on in the Americas for years. Began in Argentina and has been used in many leagues to include the Mexican Primera. It made it's Internationale competition debut in Copa America. First, it prevents defensive walls from creeping forward during free kicks. Second, it prevents players taking free kicks from moving the ball forward. Third, referees try their hardest to accurately and consistently establish the 10 yards between the ball and the defensive wall.

[LehmannDaHero]

Stop overreacting. the sport won't implode because of some spray. faggots. plus referees can't keep an eye on encroaching wall players as well as any physical contact between players at the same time. their jobs are hard enough already anything that will assist them should be welcome.

[adambagni]

You guys are idiots.  It's not MLS, it's FIFA using this spray on a trial basis. They're doing it all over the world and they've been doing it for YEARS.

[JohnnyOcean44]

@thinkfaster Soccer will not catch on in America. Sure you'll get a fairly big crowd if there isn't anything else. But in America there are too many more options, entertaining ones at that, which will keep soccer a distant 5th most popular sport.

Think of soccer in America like NFL style football in Europe, sure it had it's fair share of fans when it was there amd sure they'll show up for a big game but all in all it is not as popular. I'm sorry to break it to you.

[JohnnyOcean44]

@Mlsvids4u Seattle? Portland? Come on, I'm talking about the real United States. You know the places where people have more than minor league baseball and MLS to entertain them.

[thinkfaster]

@JohnnyOcean44 Except Seattle has MLB, NBA and NFL teams. Plus there was a decent crowd tonight for a New York Red Bulls home game. Nice try at trolling though.

[ShadyButtonz]

@thinkfaster Seattle does not have NBA no mo

[RTrick16]

Haha!

[csanch20]

@RTrick16 This is not an american invention, it was first used in Argentina, now is becoming global, all southamerican leagues are starting to use it, also the MLS, the objective is to restrict the players movement in a freekick, something very common in the world, even in EUROPE...... i have seen it. i think it will help to see more freekick goal, i like it!

[Stinger49]

@RTrick16 What are you talking about? This practice started in Argentina about 4 years ago. MLS barely picked up the practice last season because CONCACAF made them do it. As a USSF referee myself, I dont like the practice but apparently it works.

[mlsvids4u]

@RTrick16 said: "What will these americans do next to ruin the beautiful game?" - You sound very ignorant, almost as if you don't watch any football in South or North America. Oh that's because you don't. Duh!

If you did, you'd have seen this used in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico ages ago, so stop with the typical "yank bashing" ZMOG! AMERICA IS OUT TO RUIN FOOBALL nonsense. FFS!

[aladdinrulestheworld]

this is why the mls is a joke.

[yabbaguy]

An innovation for the better, I think. Unless it like adds something random like lead to the field and comes under controversy somewhere down the road. :D

[Yesius1987]

La AFA (Asociacion del futbol Argentino) introdujo la utilización del Spray en la Liga Argentina por el adelantamiento de las barreras en los tiros libres. Posteriormente se acepto su uso por la CONMEBOL, utilizandose en la mayoria de los paises de Sudamerica. En mi opinion no está mal que se use, porque ayuda a evitar (en la mayoria de los casos) que se adelanten y favorece un mayor numero de goles de tiro libre...

[carthagia]

I'm surprised to see people commenting this to be a bad thing. I'm sick and tired of players in the wall trying to cheat by moving slowly towards the player taking the freekick when the referee's not watching.

[JohnnyOcean44]

Soccer is a sport? News to me and the rest of the United States.

[mlsvids4u]

@JohnnyOcean44 It's not news to Seattle who draw about 40,000 every week to watch their MLS team, nor is it news in Portland where the local minor league baseball team had to move and it's stadium was converted to an MLS specific stadium which also sells out every week,nor is it news to Philadelphia where a group of soccer supporters called the Sons of Ben basically willed a team into existence. Oh yeah PPL Park the stadium that was built for them is sold out every week too. Wake up or shut up!

[AndOrtCst]

Can't they just count the distance? If the referee does his job properly there is no need for this.

[RTrick16]

@AndOrtCst Agreed

[TheWilliamNurmi]

@AndOrtCst Ofcourse they can! But the wall always moves further.

[RedCardMagician]

@AndOrtCst If you have watched any fußball ever, you will know that officials do mark off 10 yards when asked, but players always insist on shuffling forward once the official turns away. This is a problem with the players trying to gain an unfair advantage and IFAB is experimenting with ways to address this

[AndOrtCst]

@RedCardMagician I've been watching football since I was born and I stand by what I said before: if the referee does his job properly there is no need for this spray. The players do move foward, but that's part of the game and it's up to the ref to control them. That's why he's there, not just to write a report at the end of the game. I understand why MLS and some leagues in South America do this, I just don't agree.

[TheCowBlog]

@AndOrtCst  actually it just so that the ref has a visual key to see if the player gets to close. without the spray they have to wing it.

[Themetallen]

@AndOrtCst the problem is that the wall always/ most of the time moves forward when the ref looks away but i agree with you mate :)

[aspiemelly]

yeah it's really ruining the game by making it harder to cheat...  Brazil has used this in their games for nearly 10 years, and the free kick goals has increased in number since then. I'd rather see more great goals then players trying to inch closer to the shooter.

[melizaldejr]

you know the brazillian and argentinian leagues have been using this for years right?

also the mexican league has been using it for the last 3 short tournaments