Can You Score Directly from a Corner Kick?

Yes. You can score directly from a corner kick, and when it happens it is called an Olympic goal (Gol Olímpico). The ball must travel directly into the opponent's goal without any other player — from either team — touching it. No deflection, no redirection: just the corner kick curling or dipping straight in.

What is an Olympic goal?

The name comes from the 1924 Paris Olympics, when this type of goal was scored for the first time in international football after the rules were changed to allow it. Before 1924, a goal could not be scored directly from a corner.

An Olympic goal typically requires significant curl on the ball. The taker bends the ball away from the goalkeeper and curves it back towards the far post, or swings it inswinging toward the near post. The goal counts as a normal goal in the scoreline.

Has an Olympic goal ever been scored at the World Cup?

Yes. Olympic goals have been scored at major international tournaments including the World Cup. They are rare but not extraordinary at the top level — corners taken with precision and bend in the right conditions can catch goalkeepers off their line.

Can you be offside from a corner kick?

No. Corner kicks are one of the three offside-exempt restarts under Law 11, alongside goal kicks and throw-ins. Attackers can stand anywhere — even on the goal line — when a corner is taken, and they cannot be penalised for an offside position when they directly receive the corner.

If the corner is cleared and play continues, the normal offside rule resumes.

Read more in corner kicks, offside-exempt restarts, and free kicks.