When Infantino was an infant a bit younger he saw this movie called “Gone in 60 seconds” So deeply was he influenced by Nicholas Cage that he has now finally managed to get FIFA propose a 60 second rule . The bad guys he is targeting are “time wasters“
More on the rule….The proposed new one-minute off-field rule for players who receive on-field medical treatment. Under this proposal, if a player is treated for an injury during a match, they must leave the pitch and remain off the field for at least 60 seconds before they can return to play. The aim of the rule is to reduce time-wasting and keep the game flowing, as stopping play for injuries that has been criticised for disrupting momentum.
Examples of the dark arts of time wasting ..
- Neymar’s Olympic-level rolling
A tiny nudge, and suddenly Neymar is auditioning for a tumble-drying commercial roll, roll, roll, dramatic pause, one more roll for good measure. Neymar will never gather moss. ( He’s a rolling stone ) - Emiliano Martínez becoming a one-man time wasting expert.
At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Martínez treated every goal kick like a mindfulness retreat: deep breaths, long stares into the crowd, adjusting socks that were already adjusted… and then, eventually, the kick. - Jordan Pickford discovering gravity (again and again)
Pickford has a special talent for falling on the ball and staying there like he’s guarding a priceless museum artifact. The ref’s counting, the striker’s begging, and Pickford’s still hugging the ball like a teddy bear. - Throw-ins that take longer than a Netflix episode
The player picks up the ball… looks for a teammate… looks again… wipes the ball… wipes his hands… looks at the sky… looks at the ref… still no throw. Somewhere, a defender has aged five years waiting. - “Cramp” that mysteriously vanishes after a substitution threat
A player goes down clutching his leg like he’s been struck by lightning. The stretcher comes out. The coach signals a sub. Suddenly? Miracle healing. He’s up, sprinting, and asking for the ball like nothing happened. - The slowest free-kick ever taken
One player stands over the ball. Another joins. Then a third. They debate angles, destiny, and life choices. The wall is built, dismantled, rebuilt. Finally, the kick… straight into the wall. Ten seconds of football, two minutes of drama.
If the measure is approved, it would be added to the official Laws of the Game.
More on the subject..