FIFA Make Final Call On Portugal Goal

FIFA have made a final call on Portugal’s opener against Uruguay after Cristiano Ronaldo claimed he had touched the ball.

Portugal netted the opener in their Group H clash in the 54th minute when a Fernandes cross, which was directed at Ronaldo, ended up in the back of the net.

TV footage already showed that Ronaldo didn’t touch after the Portugal record goalscorer had run off and celebrated the goal as his – he later allegedly also told Piers Morgan that he did touch the ball.

However, FIFA have now confirmed that technology used in the match ball confirmed Ronaldo did not touch the ball.

“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,” FIFA said in a statement to ESPN on behalf of adidas.

“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.”

The statement should also shutdown reports that the Portuguese FA will “present evidence” that Ronaldo did touch the ball.

Meanwhile, the 2-0 victory ensured that Portugal are already qualified for the knockout stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup ahead of their final Group H match against South Korea.