What does it mean for a goal to be "disallowed"?

When a goal is described as "disallowed," it means that the goal is invalidated due to a violation of the rules of the game. This can occur for a variety of reasons, such as an offside infraction, a foul committed by the attacking team prior to the goal, or if the ball was handled intentionally by an attacking player. The fundamental principle is that the laws of soccer must be adhered to, and if any rules are violated during the sequence leading to a goal, that goal cannot be recognized or counted.

The reasons behind the other options highlight misunderstandings of what "disallowed" entails. For instance, while it is true that the goal cannot be counted when the ball goes out of play, simply having the ball out of play does not comprehensively define disallowing a goal, as it often relates to infractions too. Similarly, suggesting that a goal counts but is not recorded does not capture the essence of an invalid goal—if a goal is disallowed, it does not count at all. The notion of a goal being optional depending on the referee's discretion does not apply; once the referee has made a decision regarding a violation, that decision is final and binding.