One of the most exciting moments in football, without a doubt, is the penalty kick. Few people know, but this rule was created by a citizen of Northern Ireland. But the implementation of Rule 14 was not that simple. Get to know the curious and controversial history of the invention of the penalty kick.

Who doesn’t get on edge during a penalty kick, especially when your favorite team is playing? Today the penalty rule is unquestionable, but did you know that, in the beginning, many athletes and top hats were against this form of penalty?

The most curious thing is that it all started when a goalkeeper from Northern Ireland decided to create a way to penalize defenders who deliberately attacked rival attackers when there was a clear chance of scoring, which was common until then. 

Penalty

Although the Brazilian is passionate about football, few know that the penalty did not exist in the original rules. Only in June 1891 was the maximum penalty added to the rule, thanks to the commitment of the Irishman William McCrum.

McCrum was well known as a lover of sport, participated in teams of different sports and helped create football and cricket teams in the region where he lived, in the city of Milford, Northern Ireland.

In football, he played as a goalkeeper and found it very unfair to see defenders violently foul the attackers when they were in a clear goal situation. So he proposed a penalty so that the offending team would actually be harmed. This would prevent defenders from practicing such violent fouls.

It was then, when he idealized a free kick without a barrier, the penalty.

Interestingly, at first, the English rejected the idea, thinking the penalty was a disproportionate “death sentence”. In 1890, McCrum presented his proposal to the international federation at the time. The rule came into effect even the following year, in June 1981, Law 14 was added to the rules of football practice as follows:

• Holding the ball and tripping or holding players 12 yards from their own goal line would result in a penalty.

Interestingly, in that same meeting, which approved the penalty, the participants rejected the presence of referees to intermediate the games.

Still, some teams were strongly against the infraction. The most popular teams at the time, which opposed the penalty were Fry and Corinthian, which incidentally inspired the creation of Corinthians in Brazil.

They claimed that the sport was practiced by riders, so there was no need for referees and they did not believe that players committed intentional infractions, so imposing a penalty such as the penalty was “inelegant” with competitors.

Interestingly, when these teams conceded the penalty, the players missed the kick on purpose, as a protest. Also, when they were penalized, their goalkeepers simply let the ball in.

Another curious fact is that, in the beginning, goalkeepers didn’t have to stay on the line. They could simply stand in front of the ball. The oldest record of a penalty kick is from a save by the goalkeeper, in a game between Notts County and Stoke City, in the same year it was implemented, in 1981.

Little by little, the penalty went through adaptations, establishing itself in world football. . Unfortunately, its inventor never got the recognition it deserved and died poor and alone, a few years after the 1929 crisis.

What is your memory involving penalty kicks?

Now, every time you see a penalty kick you’ll remember McCrum, the Irish goalkeeper who invented the penalty, was rejected and died without the recognition he enjoys today.

Surely, you’ve already felt strong emotions in a penalty kick. Older Brazilians may remember Pelé’s 1,000th goal, Zico missing the penalty in the 1986 World Cup, or the fourth championship against Italy in 1994.

Do you have any memories involving a penalty kick? Share with us in the comments.

Who invented the penalty kick? An Irishman. Know this curious story

One of the most exciting moments in football, without a doubt, is the penalty kick. Few people know, but this rule was created by a citizen of Northern Ireland. But the implementation of Rule 14 was not that simple. Get to know the curious and controversial history of the invention of the penalty kick.

Who doesn’t get on edge during a penalty kick, especially when your favorite team is playing? Today the penalty rule is unquestionable, but did you know that, in the beginning, many athletes and top hats were against this form of penalty?

The most curious thing is that it all started when a goalkeeper from Northern Ireland decided to create a way to penalize defenders who deliberately attacked rival attackers when there was a clear chance of scoring, which was common until then. 

Penalty

Although the Brazilian is passionate about football, few know that the penalty did not exist in the original rules. Only in June 1891 was the maximum penalty added to the rule, thanks to the commitment of the Irishman William McCrum.

McCrum was well known as a lover of sport, participated in teams of different sports and helped create football and cricket teams in the region where he lived, in the city of Milford, Northern Ireland.

In football, he played as a goalkeeper and found it very unfair to see defenders violently foul the attackers when they were in a clear goal situation. So he proposed a penalty so that the offending team would actually be harmed. This would prevent defenders from practicing such violent fouls.

It was then, when he idealized a free kick without a barrier, the penalty.

Interestingly, at first, the English rejected the idea, thinking the penalty was a disproportionate “death sentence”. In 1890, McCrum presented his proposal to the international federation at the time. The rule came into effect even the following year, in June 1981, Law 14 was added to the rules of football practice as follows:

• Holding the ball and tripping or holding players 12 yards from their own goal line would result in a penalty.

Interestingly, in that same meeting, which approved the penalty, the participants rejected the presence of referees to intermediate the games.

Still, some teams were strongly against the infraction. The most popular teams at the time, which opposed the penalty were Fry and Corinthian, which incidentally inspired the creation of Corinthians in Brazil.

They claimed that the sport was practiced by riders, so there was no need for referees and they did not believe that players committed intentional infractions, so imposing a penalty such as the penalty was “inelegant” with competitors.

Interestingly, when these teams conceded the penalty, the players missed the kick on purpose, as a protest. Also, when they were penalized, their goalkeepers simply let the ball in.

Another curious fact is that, in the beginning, goalkeepers didn’t have to stay on the line. They could simply stand in front of the ball. The oldest record of a penalty kick is from a save by the goalkeeper, in a game between Notts County and Stoke City, in the same year it was implemented, in 1981.

Little by little, the penalty went through adaptations, establishing itself in world football. . Unfortunately, its inventor never got the recognition it deserved and died poor and alone, a few years after the 1929 crisis.

What is your memory involving penalty kicks?

Now, every time you see a penalty kick you’ll remember McCrum, the Irish goalkeeper who invented the penalty, was rejected and died without the recognition he enjoys today.

Surely, you’ve already felt strong emotions in a penalty kick. Older Brazilians may remember Pelé’s 1,000th goal, Zico missing the penalty in the 1986 World Cup, or the fourth championship against Italy in 1994.

Do you have any memories involving a penalty kick? Share with us in the comments.