Unlucky Cristiano! Adidas insist ball technology shows Ronaldo did NOT score Portugal’s opening goal against Uruguay in World Cup and Bruno Fernandes decision was right

adidas have revealed Cristiano Ronaldo did NOT touch the ball and score Portugal’s first goal against Uruguay.

Ronaldo ran away celebrating after appearing to get the faintest of touches to the ball with his head from Bruno Fernandes’ cross, as Portugal opened the scoring against Uruguay on Monday.

adidas

adidas

Subsequent replays were not definitive and Ronaldo was initially credited with the goal, before FIFA later awarded it to his former Manchester United teammate Fernandes.

Ronaldo has remained adamant that the goal – which would have seen him equal Eusebio’s Portugal record of nine in the World Cup – should have been his and even text Piers Morgan to tell him so.

However, adidas, the ball manufacturer, have now released a statement saying that the technology inside the ball shows that Ronaldo, who is a Nike athlete, did not in fact touch it.

The Al Rihla ball contains a sensor inside to assist in detecting unclear touches and improve the quality of VAR decisions.

To prove the decision to give Fernandes the goal was right, adidas shared graphics showing how there was no movement in the sensor as it passed Ronaldo’s head.

A statement from adidas read: “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 and in the attached graphic.

“The 500Hz IMU sensor inside the ball allows us to be highly accurate in our analysis.”

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While Ronaldo will be disappointed at missing out on a record-equalling goal, he can take comfort in knowing he will have at least two more chances in what is likely to be his fifth and final World Cup.

With Fernandes adding a late penalty to seal a 2-0 win over Uruguay, Portugal booked their place in the Round of 16 with a game to spare.

They will play South Korea on Friday in their third and final group stage match.