The Football Blog

Beware the free-kick spray...

We'll be honest, when we first read that the Argentina Football Association were introducing a spray to stop footballers encroaching during a free-kick, we though it was mental. OK, so it's annoying to have a free-kick charged down when the defenders are only seven yards away, but pepper-spraying them in the eyes seems a little harsh. Even by Argentinian standards.

But alas that is not the case, as the spray in fact produces a white mark on the pitch that lasts 30 seconds before disappearing, allowing the referee to clearly mark out the ten yards. Don't believe us? See the full story here...