Has the World Cup signalled the end of chaos at corners?
Summary
Fifa referees, led by Pierluigi Collina, took a stricter approach to fouls and holding during corner kicks at the World Cup to reduce chaos in the penalty area. This resulted in fewer controversial incidents and a lower rate of goals from corners compared to some recent leagues, showing a clear change in how refereeing handled set-piece plays.Key Facts
- Fifa’s referees were instructed to strictly punish holding and blocking during corners before the World Cup.
- Video assistant referee (VAR) was used to disallow goals involving illegal blocking of the goalkeeper.
- The World Cup saw fewer instances of physical wrestling and congestion in the penalty area compared to previous Premier League seasons.
- Goals from corners at the World Cup averaged 0.34 per match, less than the Premier League’s 0.49 last season.
- Collina expects referees to enforce an “exclusion zone” around the goalkeeper in the six-yard box.
- Referees are trained using practice matches with semi-professional players to better understand set-piece tactics.
- The stricter rules favored goalkeepers, with less tolerated interference on them during corners.
- The approach differed from the Premier League, where contact and holding are often less penalized.
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