The evolution of football handball rules, from Maradona’s Hand of God to the VAR era

In the 1986 Mexico World Cup quarter-finals between Argentina and England, in the 51st minute of the game, Maradona jumped up and hit the ball into the England goal with a tap of his left fist. The Tunisian referee mistakenly ruled that the header goal was valid. This is the famous Hand of God, one of the most controversial goals in football history. Maradona said after the game that it was the hand of God, but in fact he knew it was a handball.

The rules of handball have continued to evolve over the past 40 years. In the VAR era, handball decisions have become more precise but also more controversial. From the irreparable misjudgment in 1986 to today when every handball is watched in slow motion, it took the football world 40 years to make the Hand of God no longer possible. Understanding the evolution of handball rules is also key to understanding fairness in modern football.

The simplicity of early handball rules

When the rules of football were formed in the 19th century, the rules of handball were simple: any player (other than the goalkeeper) who intentionally touches the ball with his hand or arm is a foul. The question is how to determine intentionality. In the first half of the 20th century, referees mainly relied on subjective judgment, using the position of the player's arm, the obviousness of the movement, and the direction of the ball as references. But the referee will inevitably make mistakes when making a judgment in one second. Maradona's Hand of God in 1986 is a classic example of the referee being unable to see clearly for a second.

Details from 1986's Hand of God

Maradona's handball was so fast that he leaped past England goalkeeper Shilton and struck with his left fist. From the referee's point of view, it is valid that the ball is in contact with the head. Neither the Tunisian referee nor the Canadian linesman clearly saw that it was a handball. The game continues. But the TV slow motion clearly shows the hand contact. In a post-match interview, Maradona said it was the hand of God plus a little bit of Maradona's head, putting the blame on religion. This half-admission, half-denial attitude makes England fans angry to this day.

Refinement of rules in the 1990s

In the 1990s, FIFA began to refine the handball rules. Distinguish between intentional handball and unintentional contact. If the arm touches the ball in its natural swing position, it does not count as handball. Only when the arm leaves the body and touches the ball does it count. This distinction makes referee decisions clearer but still subjective. Many games have become controversial because of this penalty. Whether a penalty kick is awarded for handball or not will directly affect the outcome of the game.

Further refinement in the 2000s

The rules continued to be refined in the 2000s. Introduce the profit principle: even if the handball is unintentional but leads to a direct goal or opportunity, a penalty should be awarded. This principle has led to the general cancellation of handball goals scored by the attacker. There were several controversial incidents in the 1990s over the recognition of handball goals, which became the reason for the refinement of the rules. But the execution of the profit principle is still subjective, and there is always a difference between slow motion and real-time judgment.

The handball revolution in the age of VAR

VAR was used on a large scale for the first time in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and handball penalties underwent fundamental changes. Slow-motion replays expose all handballs. A handball like Maradona's in 1986 would have been discovered and canceled within 5 seconds in the VAR era. But VAR also brings new problems. Slow-motion zooming in makes natural arm movements look like intentional handballs. Some minimal contact penalties were also awarded leading to increased controversy. VAR makes decisions accurate but also frequently interrupts the rhythm of the game.

Big Rule Reform in 2019

In 2019, IFAB (International Football Association Board) overhauled the handball rules. Introducing the principle of unnatural arm position: if the arm extends beyond the outline of the body and causes contact with the ball, it is handball, and there is no need to prove intentionality. Also differentiate between the offensive and defensive sides. Any handball by the attacking team resulting in a goal will be disqualified. Most handballs in the defensive penalty area are awarded penalty kicks. These rules allow for objective criteria for sentencing but remain areas of controversy.

Cancellation of Handball Goals by Attackers

After the rule reform in 2019, a large number of handball goals from the offensive team were cancelled. Even accidental contact of the arm with the ball will negate the goal. Some games have had their results changed as a result. Top coaches such as Guardiola and Klopp have repeatedly protested that the rules are too strict. Some fans believe the new rules take away from the natural flow of the game. But FIFA insists that rules are conducive to fairness, and VAR makes penalties objective and verifiable.

The gray area of ​​defensive handball

Handball penalties on the defensive side are still a gray area. A penalty is awarded if the arm touches the ball outside the outline of the body, but there is room for subjectivity in what constitutes body outline. Should a penalty kick be awarded if the ball touches the ground with the arm supported during a low tackle? Should it be penalized if the arms naturally open when jumping to defend an aerial ball? Referees still need to make subjective judgments in these situations. VAR gives advice but the final decision rests with the referee.

Notable Modern Handball Controversies

In the last second of overtime between Uruguay and Ghana in the 2010 World Cup quarter-finals, Suarez blocked Ghana's header with a handball. The referee correctly awarded a red card and a penalty kick, but Ghana's penalty kick missed and Uruguay won the penalty shootout. It was a normal operation of the handball rules but the result left Garner furious. In the 2018 World Cup final between France and Croatia, Perisic's handball in the penalty area was confirmed by VAR and a penalty kick was awarded. France led 2-1 and won all the way. These two cases show that handball penalties directly affect the outcome of the World Cup.

The future evolution of handball rules

The evolution of the rules of handball will continue. AI-assisted penalty decisions are already being tested, and the computer automatically determines handball based on the position of the player's joints. This technique has the potential to make handball decisions completely objective but can also dehumanize the game. FIFA and IFAB will continue to balance accuracy and smoothness. Understanding the evolution of handball's rules is also about understanding how football balances preserving tradition with embracing technology. From the Hand of God in 1986 to today's VAR era, football has spent 40 years eliminating this black humor, but every rule reform is accompanied by new controversies.