Can a goalkeeper head a backpass then pick it up?

Question

Let's say hypothetically that a player plays a lobbed pass back to the keeper (played with the player's foot), and the keeper manages to control the pass with his head. Is he allowed to pick up the ball in this instance, or does this still constitute a backpass?
I understand there are rules against "circumventing the laws," but I have not been able to find something on this type of situation.

Philip Kendall · Answer

Seems to me this is just covered by the normal backpass rule (part of Law 17.2):

An indirect free kick is awarded if a goalkeeper, inside their penalty area, commits any of the following offences:
[...]
touches the ball with the hand/arm, unless the goalkeeper has clearly kicked or attempted to kick the ball to release it into play, after:
it has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team-mate

In your scenario, the goalkeeper has not clearly kicked or attempted to kick the ball, so they are not allowed to handle the ball.

Can a goalkeeper head a backpass then pick it up?

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