5 rule changes that have revolutionised modern football

2. The offside rule

Arrigo Sacchi

The offside is arguably the most debated rule in football today, but has been in place since the 19th century. However, it has seen multiple changes thereafter, one of the most important being the amendment in 1990.

During the 80s, the offside ruling stated that a single player standing in an offside position when the ball was played past the last defender meant that the whole team was offside, regardless of whether the player was involved in the play or not.

Under Arrigo Sacchi, AC Milan, a club struggling when the Italian manager took over, saw great success between 1987 and 1990, winning one Serie A, two European Cups, two European Supercups and two Intercontinental Cups.

One of Sacchi’s key tactics in defence was his ‘offside trap’, which saw the side’s entire backline run upfield when the ball was kicked forward, which in turn saw the opposition team’s attackers fall behind the Milan defence before one of them reached the ball. Therefore, by virtue of having at least one attacking player in an offside position, the attacking team would be called offside time and again when playing against the Italian side.

In case the attacking team still managed to remain onside, then sweeper Franco Baresi would rush back while the rest of the team moved forward.

This glitch in the offside rule was used to the fullest by Milan before the ruling was changed, allowing players not involved in the play to stand in an offside if they did not interfere in the attack.