The backpass rule changed 30 years ago. Is it time to look at going to the corner?

I was watching old football matches on YouTube the other day, and a striker was standing in front of the opposing goalkeeper and waving his arms. The goalkeeper had calmly taken a pass from a teammate on the halfway line and then carried it around for 20 seconds. I know, of course, that this was allowed in the past, but at first I was irritated. The sight was so unfamiliar.

Then the goalkeeper kicked the ball back to the front, having used up about a minute. I don’t need to tell you which team were in the lead. The striker was still flailing. This seemed to be an expression of his helplessness. This year, football celebrates an anniversary: 30 years of the backpass rule. At the 1990 World Cup and the 1992 European Championship, a goalkeeper was still allowed to pick up his teammate’s pass and hold on to it as long for as he wanted. The defending team had no chance of getting hold of the ball.

Since 1992 this has been prohibited. The backpass rule is an example of how rules are created in a community and the positive influence they have on everyone involved. The new rule made the game faster, more interesting, more offensive. It still has an effect today. At no World Cup were fewer goals scored on average than in 1990, and since then the rate has risen, with almost half a goal more scored per game at each of the past two World Cup tournaments. The rule also redefined the goalkeeper’s position and integrated them more into the game.

The backpass rule was also significant because it highlights a central element of football, namely the talent of the players. Those who used to lead 1-0 were able to slow down the action. Teams have long since solved it differently in order to secure a lead. Today, the best manage to keep and