What decision must the referee make if the goalkeeper steps off the goal line before a penalty kick and the kick misses the goal?

When a goalkeeper steps off the goal line before a penalty kick is taken, this is a violation of the regulations governing penalty kicks. According to the Laws of the Game, the goalkeeper must remain on the line until the ball is kicked. If the kick is taken and the goalkeeper infringes this rule, the proper course of action is to order the kick to be retaken.

Additionally, the goalkeeper's action of stepping off the line before the kick is taken warrants a caution, as it is considered unsporting behavior. Therefore, the referee should show the goalkeeper a yellow card following the infraction, reinforcing the importance of following the rules around penalty kicks. In this scenario, since the penalty kick missed the goal, the referee still has the authority to order it to be retaken due to the goalkeeper's infringement, making it necessary to initiate disciplinary action against the goalkeeper as well.