IFAB changes rule about penalty kicks three months after Julián Álvarez controversial "double touch"

Three months after the controversial Real Madrid vs. Atlético de Madrid Champions League match, in which Julián Álvarez had a penalty ruled out by VAR because of a "double touch", touching the ball with one feet before shooting, International Football Association Board (IFAB), has changed the rules. If that same incident were to happen today, the penalty would not count, but it would have to be repeated.

That is according to a newly released circular titled "clarification concerning double touches", that states that "if the penalty taker accidentally kicks the ball with both feet simultaneously or the ball touches their non-kicking foot or leg immediately after the kick", the kick should be retaken if it is successful (if the penalty taker scored the goal).

That's what happened with Julián Álvarez: he scored the penalty, but after checking the video, VAR ruled out the goal, with no option to repeat it. What if he had missed the penalty? It depends: if it's a penalty shoot-out, it would have counted as missed, but if it were a penalty during the match, an indirect free kick is awarded unless the referee plays advantage when it clearly benefits the defending team.

The rules also say that if the penalty taker deliberately kicks the ball with both feet simultaneously or deliberately touches it a second time before it has touched another player, an indirect free kick is awarded. In the case of a penalty shoot-out, the kick is recorded as missed.