👀 Did the ball hit the cable? FIFA speaks out on Bellingham goal row | OneFootball

👀 Did the ball hit the cable? FIFA speaks out on Bellingham goal row | OneFootball

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·12 July 2026

👀 Did the ball hit the cable? FIFA speaks out on Bellingham goal row

Article image:👀 Did the ball hit the cable? FIFA speaks out on Bellingham goal row

This Saturday (11), England came from behind to beat Norway 2-1 in extra time and qualified for the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The match, however, featured some controversies and complaints from the Nordic side.


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The main one – which even prompted a statement from FIFA – was over an alleged touch of the ball on the "spidercam" cable (the camera that films the game from above) on Jude Bellingham's first goal, at the end of the first half.

On social media, FIFA released a video of the play with a kind of "sensor" in the lower-left corner of the image, showing what could indicate some contact with the ball.

"Before England's goal, at 45+2 minutes, against Norway, the 'connected ball' sensor did not register any spike in the 'ball's heartbeat' while it was in the air and, therefore, there was no evidence that the ball had touched the suspended cable or that its trajectory had been altered."


New rule and Haaland's father's complaint

The result could have been different if a new FIFA rule had not been in effect.

It happened when Heggem scored for Norway, taking advantage of a corner in the box, but the play was disallowed after a VAR review, which spotted a foul by Haaland in the move.

The problem is that the Norwegian center-forward's infringement happened before the corner was taken.

Thus, according to the new rule approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), if a foul before the kick has a direct impact on a goal or a penalty incident, VAR can recommend a review, leading to the retake of the set piece.

Article image:👀 Did the ball hit the cable? FIFA speaks out on Bellingham goal row

After the final whistle, Alfie Haaland — the father of Norway's No. 9 — showed all his indignation toward French referee Clément Turpin.

On the social network X (formerly Twitter), Haaland's father made a comment criticizing the officiating, in a post by journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Fabrizio Romano: "Two goals against Norway. Six goals in six World Cup games. Always there when England need him most. Hey, Jude (Bellingham)."

Alfie Haaland: "Congratulations, Bellingham and referee."

Article image:👀 Did the ball hit the cable? FIFA speaks out on Bellingham goal row

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.


📸 Richard Pelham - 2026 Getty Images

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