Norway fury as ball ‘hits Spidercam’ before England goal
Norway's manager and players have protested a goal scored by England in the World Cup, claiming the ball hit a Spidercam wire. FIFA has officially denied the claim, citing sensor data from the match ball.
Why it matters
This controversy underscores the tension between human perception and automated officiating systems in high-stakes international sports.
Stale Solbakken, the Norway manager, insisted England’s equaliser in his side’s 2-1 World Cup quarter-final defeat was assisted by Spidercam.
Solbakken, goalkeeper Orjan Nyland and Erling Haaland all argued that Bellingham ’s first-half equaliser should not have stood because the ball hit one of the Spidercam wires in the build-up to the goal.
Video replays appear to show that the ball struck a wire from Nyland’s clearance. The impact sent the ball down into the stride of Elliot Anderson , who drove forward down England’s left, eventually playing in Anthony Gordon . His right-foot ball inside to Jude Bellingham was taken brilliantly by the No 10, who beat Torbjorn Heggem before scoring past Nyland.
The camera is suspended from four tension wires attached to the four different corners of the ground and offers broadcasters new angles, including the default angle for penalty kicks.
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