Cristiano Ronaldo did not get a touch on Portugal’s opening goal in their 2-0 World Cup win against Uruguay on Monday, Adidas and FIFA have confirmed.
And now FIFA, sharing a statement from ball manufacturer Adidas, has confirmed the results of analysis on the sensor inside the match ball.
World Cup
‘Cristiano touched the ball’ – Fernandes claims goal should have gone to Ronaldo
4 HOURS AGO
“In the match between Portugal and Uruguay, using the Connected Ball Technology housed in Adidas’ Al Rihla Official Match Ball, we are able to definitively show no contact on the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo for the opening goal in the game,” a FIFA statement read.
“No external force on the ball could be measured as shown by the lack of ‘heartbeat’ in our measurements and in the attached graphic.
“The 500Hz IMU sensor inside the ball allows us to be highly accurate in our analysis.”
“The feeling I had at the time was that Cristiano touched the ball. I was passing the ball to him,” he said.
Cristiano Ronaldo ‘scores’ for Portugal
Image credit: Getty Images
“But the important thing was that we won tonight against a very tough opponent.
“The importance of us being first in the group includes us winning the next game, which would allow us to come out of the group undefeated. That is what we want.
“We have a very organised team ahead of us on Friday [South Korea], and our objective is to take it match-by-match.”
According to Fox Sports, Ronaldo was said to have texted Piers Morgan – with whom he released his recent explosive tell-all interview on Manchester United – following the game to state his belief he had touched it.
Portugal, having won two from two, have now qualified for the knockout stages.
World Cup
Of course it’s Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal – The Warm-Up
6 HOURS AGO
Transfers
Benfica slap £100m price tag on Man Utd target Fernandez – Paper Round
11 HOURS AGO
