1986 - The "Hand of God" and calls for tighter officiating. The 1986 World Cup quarter-final witnessed Diego Maradona's infamous handball goal against England, which went unnoticed by the referee and awarded to Argentina.

This goal, later dubbed the "Hand of God" by Maradona, became a symbol of cheating and refereeing failures in football. Decades later, the incident is still cited as a prime example of the need for VAR (video assistant referee) technology.

1989 - The Hillsborough disaster transforms stadium safety. Tragedies in the 1980s, culminating in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster where 97 Liverpool fans died, forced European football to overhaul its safety measures.

Terraces were gradually replaced by seating, barriers were reinforced, and ticketing and crowd control improved. These new regulations not only helped restore English football's image but also became a safety standard across Europe.

1990 - A boring World Cup leads to the back-pass rule. The 1990 World Cup in Italy is considered one of the most uneventful in history, averaging only 2.21 goals per game. Many teams resorted to repeatedly passing back to their goalkeepers to waste time, slowing down the game considerably.

As a result, in 1992, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) introduced a rule prohibiting goalkeepers from handling the ball when intentionally passed back to them by a teammate's foot. This was a significant turning point, forcing goalkeepers to use their feet more, leading to faster, more direct, and engaging matches.

1995 - Eric Cantona's kung-fu kick. During a match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, Eric Cantona launched himself into the crowd and delivered a kung-fu kick to a fan. This shocking act resulted in a 9-month ban and a substantial fine for Cantona, one of the longest disciplinary actions in Premier League history.

Following the incident, the Football Association (FA) and FIFA tightened regulations regarding player conduct towards spectators, emphasizing the responsibility of clubs in managing their players' behavior, to protect football's image and ensure spectator safety.

2001 - Roy Keane's foul on Alf-Inge Haaland. In the Manchester derby, Roy Keane, then playing for Manchester United, made a malicious tackle on Alf-Inge Haaland of Manchester City, causing a serious injury. Keane later admitted in his autobiography that it was a deliberate act of revenge for past encounters.

The incident caused public outrage, pressuring the FA and IFAB to adjust their disciplinary framework to consider the motive and nature of the offense, rather than just the extent of the injury, to deter intentional acts of violence.

2006 - Zidane's headbutt and the genesis of VAR. The 2006 World Cup final between France and Italy witnessed Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi. The referee didn't see it, but after a report from the fourth official, Zidane received a red card.

This incident highlighted the limitations of referees in dealing with off-the-ball violence. FIFA saw this as a clear example of football's need for technological assistance, accelerating the development and testing of VAR, which was officially implemented at the 2018 World Cup.

2010 - Frank Lampard's disallowed goal and the adoption of goal-line technology. In the round of 16 at the 2010 World Cup, Frank Lampard's shot clearly crossed the German goal line after hitting the crossbar, but the referee didn't award the goal to England.

This sparked global outrage and became the final catalyst for FIFA to implement goal-line technology in 2012, a system that helps referees determine whether the ball has completely crossed the goal line.

2018 - VAR makes its World Cup debut. After years of testing, VAR was officially used at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The technology allows referees to review video footage to make decisions in four key situations: goals, penalties, direct red cards, and mistaken identity.

Despite controversies surrounding game interruptions, VAR has become an integral part of the game, helping to minimize serious errors.

2021 - The away goals rule is abolished. After over half a century, UEFA decided to abolish the away goals rule in European competitions. Initially designed to encourage attacking play away from home, it became counterproductive as home teams played too cautiously.

The removal of the away goals rule has led to a tactical shift, resulting in more matches going into extra time or penalty shootouts, adding a new layer of drama to European football.

2025 - Rule change following Julian Alvarez's penalty. In the Champions League round of 16 second leg between Atletico and Real, Alvarez slipped before the ball went into Thibaut Courtois' net. VAR intervened, determining that the Argentinian forward had touched the ball twice, resulting in the penalty being deemed a miss. This decision contributed to Atletico's defeat and sparked intense debate.

IFAB subsequently amended Law 14 regarding penalty kicks. If a player accidentally touches the ball twice during a penalty kick and the ball enters the goal, the kick is retaken. Conversely, if the ball goes out, the opposing team receives an indirect free kick. In penalty shootouts, the kick is counted as a miss.

Similarly, if a player deliberately touches the ball twice or follows up before the ball touches another player, the opposing team is awarded an indirect free kick. In penalty shootouts, the kick is counted as a miss.

Hong Duy