- Ronaldo claimed he touched the ball in Portugal’s game against Uruguay
- World Cup VAR officials gave the first goal to Bruno Fernandes as he touched the ball last
- Portugal won 2-0 vs Uruguay to ease the pressure to qualify for the Round of 16
Adidas, the official ball manufacturer for the FIFA World Cup, confirms that Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo did not score the first goal against Uruguay.
In Portugal’s 2-0 win over the two-time FIFA World Cup champions, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner scored the opening goal, which was later awarded to Bruno Fernandes.
Adidas issued a statement confirming that Ronaldo did not get his head on the ball using Connected Ball Technology during Portugal’s first goal against Uruguay.
Connected Ball Technology Verdict
“We are able to definitively show no contact on the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo for the opening goal in the game using the Connected Ball Technology housed in Adidas’ Al Rihla Official Match Ball.” The absence of a ‘heartbeat’ in the measurements and the attached graphic indicates that no external force on the ball could be measured. “The 500Hz IMU sensor inside the ball enables a high level of accuracy in the analysis,” Adidas said in a statement.
In the 54th minute, the former Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Juventus forward thought he had opened the scoring for his country when he met Fernandes’ beautifully floated cross in the box with a glancing header that beat Sergio Rochet in goal.
He proceeded to celebrate the goal with Fernandes. However, further examination of the goal revealed that Ronaldo had not touched the ball on its way to the goal. As a result, Fernandes was awarded the goal.
Adidas Connected Technology shows Ronaldo never touched the ball.|PHOTO: Sky Sports|
Ronaldo chasing Records
If Ronaldo had scored, he would have tied Eusebio as Portugal’s all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cups. He would also have surpassed long-time rival Lionel Messi in the race for the most World Cup goals.
The official match ball for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Al Rihla, has a sensor suspended in its core to help referees detect faint touches.
But, thanks to a sensor inside the ball, Adidas has now proven that the 37-year-old never touched Fernandes’ cross.
Ronado header against Uruguay.|PHOTO: Goal|
Supportive Teammates
Fernandes said after the game that he thought his former Manchester United teammate had a touch.
“I had the impression Cristiano touched the ball,” the midfielder explained. “I was crossing him the ball. What matters is that we advanced to the next round despite facing a difficult opponent.”
Meanwhile, manager Fernando Santos laughed off the question when asked in a press conference.
“I thought it was a great match,” he only said. “Our team performed admirably; the rest is irrelevant to me.”
Ronaldo did not speak to reporters after the game.
What do the results mean?
Portugal advanced to the last 16 of the World Cup with a 2-0 win over Uruguay, thanks to Fernandes’ late penalty.
Ronaldo has at least two more chances to score his record-breaking goal in his fifth and last world cup.
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