The ball and the shoulder area ABOVE the armpit of an attacker make contact and the ball goes into the goal. What is the decision by the referee?

In this scenario, the correct decision is to disallow the goal due to a handball offense. According to the Laws of the Game, a goal cannot be scored if the ball touches a player's hand or arm, including any part of the shoulder above the armpit, before it goes into the goal. This rule is in place to ensure fairness and sportsmanship in the game.

When the attacker uses their shoulder area above the armpit to make contact with the ball, it qualifies as a handball offense. Thus, the referee would not award the goal, and instead, the appropriate action is to restart the game with an indirect free kick for the opposing team. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining control and upholding the rules of the game, as every player must adhere to the same standards.