Before 1992, goalkeepers could pick up back-passes. Games in the 1990 World Cup averaged 2.21 goals — the lowest ever. FIFA banned the back-pass pickup. Goals immediately increased. This single rule change modernized football more than any other.
The old 2-points-for-a-win system rewarded draws. Changing to 3 points incentivized attacking football. Average goals per game rose by 0.3 across European leagues. Teams couldn't afford to play for 0-0 anymore.
Correct decisions went from 93% to 97%. But VAR killed spontaneous goal celebrations. Offside decisions now take 90+ seconds for millimeter calls. The technology is right; the implementation is a mess. Semi-automated offside (introduced 2024) fixed the speed problem.
Introduced during COVID, made permanent in 2022. Benefits big clubs with deep squads. Liverpool, City, and Real Madrid use it as a tactical weapon — fresh legs at 60 minutes. Smaller clubs complained. FIFA didn't care.