Golden Goal

Oliver Bierhoff

Golden Goal - a method used from 1993 to 2004. in football in the playoff stage matches to determine the winner in the event of a tie at the end of normal time (90 minutes). At the same time, additional time is assigned (2 halves of 15 minutes each). If for an extra time the team scores a goal (such a goal is called “golden”), then it becomes a winner, and the game stops. If, after an additional time has passed, no team is able to score a goal, the winner is determined using a series of penalty shoot-outs . The golden goal rule is very similar to the overtime rule in hockey .

The Golden Goal rule was adopted to stimulate the attacking style of play and reduce the number of penalty shoot-outs. However, often this led to the opposite effect - the teams began to play “defensive” football in order to reduce the chance of defeat.

The term "golden goal" and changes to the rules were introduced by FIFA in 1993. The rule was not mandatory, and a decision on its use was made separately within each championship. At the European Championships, this rule was first applied in 1996, at the World Championships in 1998.

The first “golden goal" at the European Championship was scored in the final match between the national teams of Germany and the Czech Republic in 1996 by German Oliver Bierhoff .

The first “golden goal" in the history of the world championships was scored by Laurent Blanc and thereby brought the victory of the French team in the game against Paraguay .

In February 2004, IFRS decided that after the 2004 European Championship in Portugal, the rules of the golden and silver goals should be removed from the rules of the game ^[1] . Since the 2006 World Cup in Germany , the Golden Goal rule has not been applied ^[2] . The game continues all the extra time (30 minutes), regardless of the number of goals scored. If after an extra time there is still a draw, then the winner is determined using a series of penalty shoot-outs.