The President of FIFA’s Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, has proposed a major change to how penalties are taken during regular play — suggesting the elimination of rebound opportunities.
Collina, a respected figure in world football and a former top referee, believes the current format unfairly favors the penalty taker. According to him, around 75% of penalties result in goals, and the chance for a rebound further tilts the odds against goalkeepers.
To address this imbalance, Collina is proposing a “One Shot” rule — a system similar to penalty shootouts where play stops after the initial shot, regardless of whether it is saved or hits the post. If the penalty doesn’t go in, the defending team would resume with a goal kick.
I think there’s an excessive gap between the opportunities for the shooter and the goalkeeper,” Collina explained. “This would also eliminate the spectacle we often see before a penalty is taken — with players crowding the box like horses at the starting gate.”
The proposal, if implemented, would mark a significant shift in how penalties influence the flow and outcome of matches, sparking debate among fans, players, and officials alike.
