[Reading level: C1 – Advanced]
Football never stops evolving, and many important rule changes stem from shocking incidents such as Eric Cantona’s kung-fu kick or Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal.
1986 – The “Hand of God” and the call for stricter supervision
The quarterfinal of the 1986 World Cup witnessed legend Diego Maradona using his hand to score against England, but the referee did not notice and awarded the goal to Argentina.
This incident, later referred to by Maradona as the “Hand of God,” became a symbol of cheating and referee helplessness in football. Decades later, it is still remembered as a classic example of why VAR technology is necessary.
1989 – The Hillsborough disaster changed stadium safety
The tragedies of the 1980s, culminating in Hillsborough 1989 where 97 Liverpool fans lost their lives, forced European football to overhaul security measures.
The event happened on April 15, 1989, during an FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England. Because too many fans were allowed into a standing-only section behind one goal, the area became dangerously overcrowded. With nowhere to move, people at the front were crushed against the fences separating them from the field. As a result, 97 Liverpool fans were killed and hundreds injured. The disaster showed how poor crowd management, locked exit gates, and unsafe stadium designs could turn deadly.
From then on, stadiums gradually removed standing terraces, replaced them with seats, strengthened barriers, and improved ticket and crowd control. These new regulations not only saved the image of English football but also became the safety standard across Europe.
1990 – A dull World Cup and the birth of the “back-pass” law
The 1990 World Cup in Italy is considered the dullest in history, with an average of only 2.21 goals per match. Many teams constantly passed back to their goalkeepers to waste time, slowing the game down.
As a result, in 1992, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) introduced the law banning goalkeepers from handling the ball when a teammate deliberately passed it with their foot. This was a turning point, forcing goalkeepers to use their feet more, making matches faster, more direct, and more exciting.
1995 – Eric Cantona’s kung-fu kick
In a match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, striker Eric Cantona suddenly leapt into the stands and delivered a kung-fu style kick at a fan. The incident shocked English and world football, leading to Cantona being banned for 9 months and heavily financially fined – one of the longest bans in Premier League history.
Afterward, the English FA and FIFA were forced to tighten regulations regarding player conduct toward spectators, while also emphasizing clubs’ responsibility to manage their stars’ behavior to protect football’s image and crowd safety.
2001 – Roy Keane’s brutal tackle on Alf-Inge Haaland
In the Manchester derby, Roy Keane, then playing for Man Utd, made a vicious tackle on Man City’s Alf-Inge Haaland, causing serious injury. Later in his autobiography, Keane admitted it was deliberate revenge for past clashes.
The incident sparked public outrage and pressured the FA and IFAB to adjust disciplinary rules, stressing the importance of intent and nature of the act, rather than only the resulting injury, in order to deter intentional violent conduct.
2006 – Zidane’s headbutt and the push for VAR
The 2006 World Cup final between France and Italy saw Zinedine Zidane’s infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi. The referee did not see it, but after being informed by the fourth official, he issued a direct red card.
This situation highlighted the limitations of referees in spotting off-the-ball violence. FIFA considered it a typical case proving that football needed technological assistance, which eventually accelerated VAR trials, officially introduced at the 2018 World Cup.
2010 – Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal and the approval of Goal-line Technology
In the 2010 World Cup Round of 16, Frank Lampard’s shot hit the crossbar and clearly bounced over the goal line against Germany, but the referee did not award the goal to England.
This incident caused global outrage and became the final push for FIFA to approve Goal-line Technology, which helps referees determine whether the ball has fully crossed the goal line, starting from 2012.
2018 – VAR officially introduced at the World Cup
After years of testing, VAR was officially implemented at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The technology allows referees to review footage to make decisions in four key situations: goals, penalties, direct red cards, and mistaken identity.
Though still controversial for disrupting matches, VAR has become an essential part of football, reducing serious errors.
2021 – The away goals rule abolished
After more than half a century in use, UEFA decided to abolish the away goals rule in European competitions. Originally intended to encourage attacking play from away teams, it gradually backfired as home teams became overly cautious.
Scrapping the rule marked a tactical turning point, causing more matches to go into extra time or penalty shootouts, bringing new drama to continental football.
2025 – Rule change after Julian Alvarez’s penalty incident
In the Champions League Round of 16 second leg between Atletico and Real Madrid, Julian Alvarez slipped during his penalty and struck the ball twice before it went into Thibaut Courtois’ net. VAR intervened, ruling that the Argentine forward touched the ball twice, so the attempt was counted as a miss. The decision contributed to Atletico’s elimination and sparked heated debate.
Afterward, IFAB revised Law 14 regarding penalty kicks. Accordingly, if a player unintentionally touches the ball twice and it enters the goal, the kick will be retaken. If it goes wide, the opponents are awarded an indirect free kick. In shootouts, such a kick counts as a miss.
Similarly, if a player deliberately double-touches the ball or follows up before another player touches it, the opponents are awarded an indirect free kick. In shootouts, the attempt counts as a miss.
Source: https://vnexpress.net/nhung-khoanh-khac-thay-doi-luat-bong-da-4928032.html
WORD BANK:
evolve /ɪˈvɑːlv/ [C1] (v): phát triển, tiến hóa
stem from sth /stem frʌm/ (phr v): bắt nguồn từ cái gì
call for sth /ˈkɑːl fɔːr/ [C1] (phr v): kêu gọi, yêu cầu
quarterfinal /ˌkwɔːr.t̬ɚˈfaɪ.nəl/ (n): tứ kết
legend /ˈledʒ.ənd/ [C1] (n): huyền thoại
referee /ˌref.əˈriː/ [B2] (n): trọng tài
award a/the goal to sb /əˈwɔːrd ðə ɡoʊl tuː sʌmbədi/ (phr v): công nhận bàn thắng cho ai
refer to sth as sth /rɪˈfɝː tuː ˌsʌmθɪŋ æz ˌsʌmθɪŋ/ (phr v): gọi cái gì là cái gì
cheating /ˈtʃiː.t̬ɪŋ/ (n): gian lận
helplessness /ˈhelp.ləs.nəs/ (n): sự bất lực
culminate in sth /ˈkʌl.mə.neɪt ɪn/ (phr v): kết thúc, đỉnh điểm bằng cái gì
overhaul sth /ˈoʊ.vɚ.hɑːl/ (v): cải tổ, đại tu
semi-final /ˌsem.iˈfaɪ.nəl/ (n): bán kết
standing-only section /ˈstændɪŋ ˈoʊn.li ˈsek.ʃən/ (n): khu vực chỉ dành cho khán giả đứng
standing terrace /ˈstændɪŋ ˈter.əs/ (n): khu vực khán đài đứng
crush sb/sth against sth /krʌʃ əˈɡenst/ (v): ép ai/cái gì vào cái gì
fence /fens/ (n): hàng rào
dull /dʌl/ [C1] (adj): buồn tẻ, nhạt nhẽo
back-pass /ˈbæk.pæs/ (n): luật chuyền về sau (cho thủ môn)
handle the ball /ˈhæn.dəl ðə bɑːl/ (v): bắt bóng bằng tay
deliberately /dɪˈlɪb.ɚ.ət.li/ [B2] (adv): cố ý
a turning point /ˈtɝː.nɪŋ pɔɪnt/ (n): bước ngoặt
striker /ˈstraɪ.kɚ/ (n): tiền đạo
leap /liːp/ (v): nhảy, bật lên
stands /stændz/ (n): khán đài
incident /ˈɪn.sɪ.dənt/ (n): sự cố
tighten /ˈtaɪ.t̬ən/ (v): siết chặt
conduct /ˈkɑːn.dʌkt/ (n): hành vi
spectator /ˈspek.teɪ.t̬ɚ/ (n): khán giả
vicious /ˈvɪʃ.əs/ (adj): bạo lực, hung hãn
tackle /ˈtæk.əl/ (n): pha vào bóng
autobiography /ˌɑː.t̬oʊ.baɪˈɑː.ɡrə.fi/ (n): tự truyện
revenge /rɪˈvendʒ/ (n): sự trả thù
clash /klæʃ/ (n): cuộc đụng độ
spark an outrage /spɑːrk æn ˈaʊt.reɪdʒ/ (phr v): làm bùng lên sự phẫn nộ
adjust sth /əˈdʒʌst/ (v): điều chỉnh
disciplinary rule /ˈdɪs.ə.plə.ner.i ruːl/ (n): luật kỷ luật
intent /ɪnˈtent/ (n): ý định
nature /ˈneɪ.tʃɚ/ (n): bản chất
deter sth /dɪˈtɝː/ (v): ngăn chặn
intentional /ɪnˈten.ʃən.əl/ (adj): cố tình
infamous /ˈɪn.fə.məs/ [C1] (adj): khét tiếng (theo nghĩa xấu)
headbutt /ˈhed.bʌt/ (n): cú húc đầu
issue a card /ˈɪʃ.uː ə kɑːrd/ (phr v): rút thẻ (trọng tài)
spot sth /spɑːt/ (v): phát hiện ra
off-the-ball /ˌɔːf.ðəˈbɑːl/ (adj): ngoài tình huống có bóng
accelerate sth /əkˈsel.ɚ.eɪt/ (v): thúc đẩy cái gì
crossbar /ˈkrɑːs.bɑːr/ (n): xà ngang
bounce /baʊns/ (v): nảy
the final push for sth /ðə ˈfaɪ.nəl pʊʃ fɔːr/ (n): cú hích cuối cùng dẫn tới điều gì
implement sth /ˈɪm.plə.ment/ (v): thực thi
footage /ˈfʊt̬.ɪdʒ/ (n): đoạn phim, cảnh quay
mistaken /mɪˈsteɪ.kən/ (adj): sai, nhầm lẫn
identity /aɪˈden.t̬ə.t̬i/ (n): sự nhận dạng, xác định
controversial /ˌkɑːn.trəˈvɝː.ʃəl/ (adj): gây tranh cãi
abolish sth /əˈbɑː.lɪʃ/ (v): bãi bỏ
the away goals rule /ði əˈweɪ ɡoʊlz ruːl/ (n): luật bàn thắng sân khách
away team /əˈweɪ tiːm/ (n): đội khách
home team /hoʊm tiːm/ (n): đội chủ nhà
backfire /ˌbækˈfaɪr/ (v): phản tác dụng
cautious /ˈkɑː.ʃəs/ [C1] (adj): thận trọng
scrap sth /skræp/ (v): loại bỏ, hủy bỏ
tactical /ˈtæk.tɪ.kəl/ (adj): thuộc chiến thuật
shootout /ˈʃuːt.aʊt/ (n): loạt sút luân lưu
drama /ˈdræm.ə/ (n): kịch tính
round of 16 /raʊnd əv sɪksˈtiːn/ (n): vòng 16 đội, vòng 1/8
second leg /ˈsek.ənd leɡ/ (n): lượt về
slip /slɪp/ (v): trượt ngã
strike a/the ball /straɪk ðə bɑːl/ (v): sút bóng
intervene /ˌɪn.t̬ɚˈviːn/ (v): can thiệp
forward /ˈfɔːr.wɚd/ (n): tiền đạo
miss /mɪs/ (n): cú đá hỏng
elimination /ɪˌlɪm.əˈneɪ.ʃən/ (n): sự loại khỏi giải
accordingly /əˈkɔːr.dɪŋ.li/ (adv): theo đó
unintentionally /ˌʌn.ɪnˈten.ʃən.əl.i/ (adv): vô tình
go wide /ɡoʊ waɪd/ (phr v): (trái bóng) đi ra ngoài
follow up /ˈfɑː.loʊ ʌp/ (phr v): đá bồi
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