Any sport whose once in 4 years world championship can be decided by a penalty kick shootout has got serious problems.
That is like the Super Bowl being decided by a Punt, Pass, and Kick competition, the World Series decided by a home run derby contest, or the NBA title given to the winner of the HORSE competition.
Equally frustrating is that if a team has a one goal lead (inevitably 1-0) with 15 minutes to play, the game is essentially over. Scoring is an aberration, and the chance of overcoming an insurmountable one goal lead in that time is remote at best.
However, so I am not viewed as the ugly American (both of which I am), I offer the following subtle rule modifications in an effort to get this actually decent sport out of its embarrassingly bad rulebook dilemma:
1) Make the goal slightly larger. Not a lot - perhaps a meter wider, and/or half a meter taller. (See, I know my metrics system equivalents - I know how to go the extra 1.609 kilometers).
2) Relax the offsides rule. Maybe allow one player to violate it, or even one player by 3 meters or so. Breakaways are exciting - encourage their occurrence.
3) Limit the area in which the goalie is allowed to use his hands.
4) On free kicks, limit the number of players allowed as part of the “wall”. Or make them at least take their cups off. 8^)
Leave the stands in place but plow the field and plant corn. Sell tickets to watch it grow. It may not exceed the “excitement” of soccer but it’s a start.
5) Shrink the field down to 10 yards wide. That would make things interesting.