The referee awards a free kick. An opponent stands in front of the ball and is less than 10 yards away. What decision should the referee make?

In this scenario, the correct decision is that the referee cautions and shows a yellow card to the opponent standing in front of the ball within 10 yards. According to the Laws of the Game, players who prevent a free kick from being taken quickly by standing too close to the ball are committing an infringement. This behavior is considered unsporting, as it interferes with the attacking team’s ability to restart play swiftly and fairly.

When an opponent is less than 10 yards from the ball during a free kick, the official is required to take action. Cautioning the player and issuing a yellow card serves as both a disciplinary measure for delaying the restart of play and a means to reinforce the importance of adhering to the laws that govern distance during a free kick.

This emphasizes the necessity for players to respect the rules regarding the placement of the defensive wall during set pieces and helps maintain the flow of the game. Other options, such as ignoring the situation or restarting play with a drop ball, do not address the violation occurring, and allowing the free kick to occur without intervention contradicts the enforcement of the game rules.