The idea has been defended by Arsène Wenger, FIFA's current director of football development, who understands that changing the offside law would allow football to have more goals, fewer stoppages and make the game more attractive. But what is this change anyway? Nicknamed 'Wenger's Law', precisely because it was encouraged by the French coach, this change defines the offside position only when the attacker is completely in front of the penultimate opposing defender. In other words, a player is currently offside if he has one centimeter of his foot, for example - or his knee, or his head, or any part of his body that could touch the ball (excluding arms and hands) -, in front of the second-to-last defender. With this change, he would only be in an irregular position if his entire body was in front of the second-to-last opposing defender. It is now known that this proposal by Arsène Wenger has already been tested in youth tournaments and Gianni Infantino, in Dubai, announced that it is time to study the advantages perceived in these tests that have already been carried out. Even to, if necessary, move on to more tests. The International Board (IFAB), the entity that oversees football rules, has a meeting scheduled for January 20th, in London, so this topic has effectively jumped to the top of the agenda, potentially meaning a change in an offside law that has not been updated since 1990: exactly 35 years ago. But will football men agree with this change? To try to understand this, the More football consulted coaches and former Portuguese football players, who, through the responses sent, showed how controversial a topic it is. If, on the one hand, there are those who agree with the 'Wenger Law', as it can actually bring more goals and end offsides - «ridiculous», they say - from an inch of the foot in an irregular position, there are also those who argue that this is a change that will completely change «structural principles of the game» and even make the game slower. Come and check out the opinions. _____________________ Jesualdo Ferreira, champion coach at FC Porto: «I think it is still too early to make any considerations. The law has not yet been tested and I believe that, when that happens, new doubts will arise. Just the fact that it ends with offsides of 10 centimeters - or one centimeter or 15 centimeters, things that are very ridiculous - favors the teams that attack much more, which is an advantage: the spirit of the law is exactly that, in case of doubt, to favor those who attack. It will require major defensive adjustments, even to prevent the forwards from having the opportunity, especially on short diagonals, to gain space and gain the front. A lot will change, in my opinion, but there is one thing that will not change: the controversy. Therefore, I believe that something will change, I think so, that it was time to put an end to ridiculous problems, but it is important that the rule takes shape, that it is tested, that it has the capacity to be successful, depending on what the experience itself comes to give.» Vítor Pereira, champion coach for FC Porto: «It is a law that clearly benefits the attack and that will pose more problems to the work of the defensive line, and above all to coordination between the elements in the most backward sector. It is clearly a law to favor football, with more goals. And perhaps it will even pose fewer problems for the referees and help a little better to judge those centimeters that decide so many games.” António Oliveira, former National Coach: «The 'Wenger rule' has a positive intention: to favor the attack, make the game more fluid and reduce minute decisions by VAR. However, it does not completely eliminate the controversy, it just changes the measurement criteria, and significantly alters the balance between attack and defense. I believe it should be tested cautiously before any widespread application, because it affects the structural principles of the game.” Arthur Moraes, former Benfica goalkeeper: «My opinion is that this rule may cause effects that will not be entirely positive. I believe that, as a consequence of this rule, the last line will always be about a meter further back, which can cause the lines to widen and create more space to think about the game, making it slower. The reflection remains.” Hélder Cristóvão, former central defender and coach of Benfica B: «It seems to me that FIFA is also trying to facilitate the work of the VAR and, at the same time, allow there to be more goals. However, it will create a problem for defenses: I think it will lead teams to defend lower or in intermediate areas.”