Why Football’s Old Format Still Wins — And Why the New Rules Feel Like a Bureaucratic Maze

The Myth of Progress

I’ve spent three decades parsing Opta data through World Cups and European Championships. Every expansion — from 16 to 24 to 32 teams — was sold as ‘progress,’ but it wasn’t growth. It was revenue engineering dressed in aesthetics. The same clubs keep qualifying not because they’re better, but because they pay more.

The Euro Illusion

Europe claims its tournament is ‘more balanced.’ Nonsense. The group stage still has six teams per group? That’s not fairness — it’s logistical chaos disguised as inclusivity. Outgoing rules? They’re designed by accountants who’ve never watched a full match live.

The New Club Cup Paradox

The ‘New Euro Cup’? A rebranding of the old ‘Champions League’ with extra dates, extra teams, and zero extra drama. They call it ‘modernization.’ I call it a spreadsheet with goals.

When Data Lies

I’ve seen the numbers: 11月底出线，6月开赛，3月底结果 — all forced into a calendar that makes no sense outside Zurich boardrooms. The away goal rule? Cancelled for some, kept for others. Two-leg ties? Complex enough to require three translators.

Why Change Feels Like Backwardness

It’s not nostalgia. It’s pattern recognition. We don’t need more games; we need smarter ones. More teams don’t mean better football — just louder marketing slogans and fewer unforgettable moments.