Adidas In-Ball Technology Denies Ronaldo Goal, Awards it to Bruno Fernandes

Adidas' revolutionary in-ball technology has had its first major moment at the World Cup, as it awarded a goal to Bruno Fernandes after Cristiano Ronaldo had initially been given the credit in last night's Portugal vs Uruguay game.

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Jul 1, 2022

AI Technology in Al Rihla Ball Strips Ronaldo of Goal

Cristiano Ronaldo thought he had collected another niche individual footballing record last night as he appeared to make the slightest contact with a Bruno Fernandes cross to glance the ball into the Uruguay net. He wheeled off in celebration, joined by his teammates who also believed he had gotten the final touch on the ball, only for FIFA to change the scoresheet five minutes later, crediting Fernandes with the goal instead of Ronaldo.

Had Ronaldo scored, he would have become the oldest person to score in consecutive games at a World Cup, but he'll have to start from zero again in his pursuit of that one. An incident like this could have ended up as one of the most enduring controversies had it happened at any previous World Cup, but not this time. The in-ball technology has the final say at this year's tournament, overruling the human eye and removing doubt from the equation.

"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. 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." - Adidas statement.

The flat line indicates no impact on the ball as it passed Ronaldo's head.

Although the technology has played a role in every offside call made, this is the first time its use has been publicised so much. It's also quite fitting that Adidas were the ones responsible for denying Ronaldo the goal, which would have drawn him level with Eusebio on nine World Cup goals for Portugal. Even more so after their own star man, Leo Messi, put himself on par with Maradona in the Argentina World Cup top scorer stakes last week, netting his eighth. It's quite incredible really how they've always been neck and neck when it comes to achieving milestones like this.

Despite a lot being made of it on social media, Ronaldo took the news well, with none of the scowling or tantrum-throwing that he has been known to display at times. It looks like there's no hard feelings between himself and Bruno Fernandes anyway.

Are you glad the technology was there to prove who got the final touch on the ball? Or would you prefer that it was left up for debate with no possibility of a sure conclusion? Let us know in the comments.