Jude Bellingham scored two goals for England on Saturday evening to send it through to the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His goals were the difference in a 2-1 quarterfinal win over Norway that required extra time to decide the winner.
The main reason it needed extra time is the fact England was able to score the equalizer in minute 45+2 in the first half.
That goal came with some controversy regarding whether or not the ball had been disrupted by an overhead cable just before Bellingham scored.
FIFA has attempted to address that controversey.
FIFA says ball never registered that it hit camera cable
The play began with Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland took a goal kick, with the ball appearing to change its trajectory as it approached mid-field. It was believed that the ball had struck an overhead camera cable that is used during the match. It was only moments later that Bellingham scored his first goal of the match, with the Norway players and bench immediately protesting that it hit the cable.
FIFA eventually released a statement trying to argue that the ball never hit the cable, because there was “no peak in the heartbeat of the ball.” The balls used have a sensor in them that is supposed to detect even the most marginal contact.