Jude Bellingham aim row erupts as new footage emerges after Norway star slams ‘scandal’
England’s Jude Bellingham scored a controversial equaliser in the World Cup quarter-final against Norway, with new footage appearing and only adding complaints to the ‘scandal’
Jude Bellingham’s equaliser against Norway was scored in controversial fashion(Image: (Photo by Maddie Meyer – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images))
Fresh footage of the controversial build-up to Jude Bellingham’s equalising goal against Norway in the World Cup quarter-final has emerged.
Moments before the interval in the showdown on Saturday, England drew level through Bellingham, who later netted the winning goal in extra-time, but there has been outcry over whether his opening strike should have been allowed.
There was no dispute regarding a foul or offside in the build-up, with Elliot Anderson collecting the loose ball before threading a pass out wide to Anthony Gordon. He beat his marker and located Bellingham just outside the area with the Real Madrid ace taking several touches before drilling the ball low past Orjan Nyland.
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It was the Norwegian shot-stopper who then spearheaded protests regarding the goal as he insisted that his goal kick, which was collected from the air by Anderson, struck the spider cam, which is suspended by multiple thick wires and provides television viewers with an aerial perspective of the action.
A fresh slow-motion clip of the incident has subsequently surfaced via Canadian sports broadcaster TSN. Their replay has focused on the moment the ball appears to hit the spider cam.
Although it remains unclear, it does appear as though contact occurred and the path of the ball in the aftermath also suggests something altered its course. The contentious decision has sparked outrage within the Norway camp, with Andreas Schjelderup, who had given Norway the lead, branding it a scandal.
Speaking to TV2, he said: “You see that the ball changes direction and lands ten meters earlier. I haven’t seen the pictures again, but if it hit, it’s a scandal.”
Despite all the evidence, the heartbeat sensor in the ball failed to detect any peak, as FIFA confirmed in a statement.
The statement read: “Before England’s goal in minute 45+2 against Norway, the sensor in the Connected Ball showed no peak in the ‘heartbeat of the ball’ when in the air, and therefore no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire and changed the movement of the ball.”
Stale Solbakken also weighed in on the controversy, with the Norway head coach acknowledging FIFA’s evidence but maintaining his belief that there was contact from the spidercam.
He stated: “Many on the bench reacted immediately I was not one of them. I can’t say anything about that because FIFA, if there is no sound in the chip, what can I say against that.
“The ball drops straight down from heaven. I saw another way just then so I also don’t know what happened. I think it’s pretty clear that it did and yeah, it was a strange thing.”
The Three Lions are now poised to take on Argentina for a spot in the World Cup final, while Spain vs France will be contested on the other side of the bracket.
