You are missing the words after your highlighted statement. Unless it is kick-catching interference, which it is if he touches it before the ball touches the ground.
I don't believe that I'm missing anything. Here's my read of the entire article:
ART. 6 . . . If any K player recovers or
catches a free kick, the ball becomes dead.
This is simple, if K is in possession of a ball with status kick the ball is dead by rule.It belongs to him unless it is kick-catching interference and R chooses an awarded fair catch or unless it is first touching.
It's not KCI since no R player has given a fair catch signal and no K player is anywhere close to the kick when K catches it. It's not first touching since it's a free kick that has gone well beyond the neutral zone. Therefore the ball belongs to team K according to the clear wording of the rule Any K player may recover the ball before it goes beyond R’s free-kick line if it is touched first by any receiver. Such touching in the neutral zone by R is ignored if it is caused by K pushing or blocking R into contact with the ball or if K muffs the ball into contact with R.
This sentence applies specifically to touching in the neutral zone and does not apply to the case play here.Any K player may recover a free kick if it has both touched the ground and goes beyond the plane of R’s free-kick line. The two requirements may occur in any order.
This one discusses "recovery" which by definition means that we have a kick that has touched the ground. In the case play the K player catches an airborne kick he does not recover a grounded kick.If a free kick becomes dead inbounds between the goal lines while no player is in possession, or inbounds anywhere while opponents are in joint possession, the ball is awarded to R.
No comments needed here.