Cristiano Ronaldo: adidas reveal decision on Bruno Fernandes goal
By Sean Walsh
Cristiano Ronaldo did not get a touch on Bruno Fernandes' opening goal in their 2-0 World Cup win against Uruguay on Monday, according to match ball supplier adidas.
Portugal sealed their passage to the knockout stages with the victory thanks to a brace from the Manchester United playmaker.
However, there has been some division over who scored the Selecao's opening goal. A cross from Fernandes was deemed to have bounced all the way into the top corner, but Ronaldo was insistent that he got a final touch with his head.
Replays suggested that Ronaldo did not make any contact with the ball, though reports say Portugal will 'present evidence' to FIFA that their star striker should be attributed with the goal.
But adidas, the suppliers of the official footballs at the World Cup, claim that the sensor used inside the ball in use did not pick up any noise when Ronaldo claimed to have got a touch, and therefore the goal should remain Fernandes'.
"In the match between Portugal and Uruguay, using the Connected Ball Technology housed in adidas's 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 statement from FIFA on adidas' behalf read.
"No external force on the ball could be measured as shown by the lack of 'heartbeat' in our measurements. The 500Hz IMU sensor inside the ball allows us to be highly accurate in our analysis."
Harry Symeou hosts Scott Saunders and Toby Cudworth to look back on South Korea/Japan '02 as part of the 'Our World Cup' series. We take a trip down memory lane - join us!
If you can't see the podcast embed, click here to download or listen to the episode in full!
Ronaldo would have tied Eusebio's record of scoring nine goals for Portugal at World Cups if he had been attributed the opener against Uruguay.
Instead, Fernandes is now equal alongside Kylian Mbappe with the most goal involvements so far at this tournament with four apiece.
Portugal face South Korea in their final group game needing just a point to secure top spot in Group H.