Soccer purists who denounce rule changes and new technology argue that the beauty of the game lies in its simplicity. They resist disruptive developments like VAR, offside law revisions, and concussion protocols with the same fervor as a Barcelona player resisting having to pay tax to the Spanish government. The game has always been the same! Change is scary!



In truth, soccer has only evolved into today’s problem-free, egalitarian ideal (ahem) because of tweaks and improvements to the rules over the decades.



In the rules codified upon the formation of the English Football Association in 1863, there were no crossbars, so a goal counted if it passed between the posts at any height. Until 1912, a goalkeeper could handle the ball anywhere in their own half. And up until Sir Alex’s Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, injury time was unlimited until Manchester United scored an equalizing or winning goal.



Hence, it stands to reason that some aspects...