2022 World Cup QATAR: Adidas confirm whether the ball hit Cristiano Ronaldo’s head before it went into the goal or not
Adidas has determined who scored Portugal’s first goal against Uruguay in the 2022 World Cup group stages. At the Lusail Iconic Stadium, Portugal seized the lead in the 54th minute, and Cristiano Ronaldo believes he provided the decisive touch. Replays couldn’t tell if the ball hit Ronaldo in the head before going into the goal, so Bruno Fernandes was given the goal.
But thanks to technology, Adidas has been able to confirm who scored the goal. According to a statement from Adidas obtained by the Daily Mail, “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.”
“No external force on the ball could be measured, as shown by the lack of a “heartbeat” in our measurements and in the attached graphic.”
“The 500 Hz IMU sensor inside the ball allows us to be highly accurate in our analysis.”
Although Ronaldo may believe he touched the ball, Adidas’ technology shows otherwise. Fernandes, who went on to score a late penalty, is likely to keep the goal. In July, Adidas revealed the first official FIFA World Cup match ball equipped with connected ball technology.
At the time, they stated on their website: “A new Adidas Suspension System in the center of the ball hosts and stabilizes a 500 Hz inertial measurement unit (IMU) motion sensor, which provides unprecedented insight into every element of the movement of the ball while making this technology unnoticeable for players and not affecting its performance whatsoever.” The sensor is powered by a rechargeable battery, which can be charged by induction.
“This new technology, developed in close collaboration with FIFA and KINEXON, leaders in state-of-the-art sensor networks and edge computing, enables the Video Match Officials to review live data for the first time by automatically providing very accurate information (500 times per second) on when a player has touched the ball.
“It will help inform offside situations as well as assist in detecting unclear touches, thereby ultimately improving the quality and speed of the VAR decision-making process.”