ATLANTA (AP) — It’s called connected ball technology. And it was responsible for one of them the most dramatic climax To previous World Cup matches.
It detected a touch that could not be detected with the naked eye, and even a video replay late Thursday, canceling out Croatia’s equalizing goal deep in second-half stoppage time against Portugal.
Portugal won 2-1 In Toronto, they reached the round of 16, but Croatian players and fans were left devastated as they believed Josko Gvardiol’s goal had been incorrectly ruled offside by VAR and referee Espen Eskos.
FIFA relies on high tech soccer ball He claimed his “sophisticated sensors” were correct in determining that Croatia’s Igor Mantanovic had grazed his head, meaning Mario Palasic had been in an offside position during the build-up to the goal.
FIFA said the in-ball sensors are so finely tuned that they can “determine even the slightest contact, giving officials an unprecedented level of data to make quick and accurate decisions.”
here’s the science story
The official World Cup ball, Trionda, manufactured by Adidas, is equipped with a “miniaturized inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor” that operates at approximately 500Hz and captures data 500 times per second, according to FIFA.
According to FIFA, the ball’s acceleration and minute movements can be tracked in three dimensions, and the exact moment of contact between players can be detected.
This ball technology is combined with cameras inside the stadium to track data that is sent in real time to a video assistant.
Touch data not only helps determine offsides, but can also be used for incidents such as handballs and penalties.
How reliable can it be?
The decision was controversial because Mantanovic’s contact with Ivan Perisic’s in-swinging cross was visually inconclusive, even on slow-motion replays from various angles.
Hence, the dependence on technology was born. Referee Escazu was instructed by VAR to check the sideline monitor. Replays showed what FIFA calls a “heartbeat graphic” showing the moment of contact with the ball and an apparent spike as the ball grazed Mantanovic’s head.
“No matter how fast the ball is moving, no matter how fast the ball is spinning, you can track the ball very effectively,” Manos Tentzelis, a professor in Georgia Tech’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, told The Associated Press. “Ball position is 99.99% accurate. You can tell exactly where a player is right down to the tip of the shoe, and that can sometimes tell you if someone is offside or onside.”
FIFA will also use connected ball technology in the 2022 World Cup, and it was recently introduced in the 2024 Men’s European Championship.
Testing ran from 2020 to 2022, with the technology being trialled at tournaments such as the Arab Cup and Club World Cup.
this is not the first time
The ball sensor also had a decisive impact at Euro 2024, detecting Denmark’s Joachim Andersen being handled inside the box during a match against host nation Germany. After a VAR review, a penalty was awarded, Kai Havertz scored, and Germany won 2-0.
“In my opinion, this This is not the way soccer should be played.” Denmark coach Kasper Hjurmand said after his team also had a goal ruled out by VAR.
Croatian national team coach Zlatko Dalic echoed these sentiments after his team’s heartbreaking departure.
“All these decisions take the joy out of football,” he said.
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AP Sports Writer Maura Carey in Atlanta contributed.
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James Robson is https://x.com/James Saran Robson
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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
