I’m only ignoring this sensor talk cause Norway had a chance to have killed the game but didn’t due to sorloth selfishness pic.twitter.com/yqOibCelcZ— ToBe (@Benefit_Doctor) July 12, 2026
Switzerland getting robbed. If this idiot ref never called a yellow in the first place nothing would have happened.
Maybe it's the level of play in this World Cup rising like the tide, but 3 of the 4 semifinalists have better soccer in them that they've shown. I still can't see anyone taking down France, but the games still need to be played.
I agree that Spain, Argentina and England have struggled and looked mediocre at times. That said, I think any of the three could take down France playing on a good/very good day.
England / Norway match - the ball absolutely hit the wire. Oddly enough, FIFA, I'm gonna' believe my lyin' eyes over you kuntz. Should have been a drop ball. Aside: I have another question. How is it that so many corner kicks get missed because of deflections that aren't seen? Happens a lot, and even my aging eyes can still pick this out instantly. Argentina match - the Swiss player dove, and clearly deserved the second booking for simulation. Self-inflicted wound that took his team out of the match. Screw him (I hate floppers). On the other hand, he may be the leading candidate for the "Steve Irwin Crocodile Death Roll" award. Too soon?
I assume the cable was for a floating camera. Have they released the video from that camera? I assume the. I imagine the video would jiggle at the time the ball hit it.
They did, but it didn’t resolve the doubt…both because it didn’t show up and because as the most scrutinized view of the sensing data was clearly out of sync when they claimed it sensed touching hair and created an offsides and a nullified goal,….but it clearly only sensed the defender’s heading of the ball
But hey! It keeps us from going on about Actual footage of every penalty run up in the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/2Se8z8nsXc— Paul Bronks (@SlenderSherbet) July 10, 2026
I’ll have to go back and look where… here’s one 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. pic.twitter.com/gYf9ukfveT— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) July 11, 2026 and hitting the wire 2076210959723466833 is not a valid tweet id pic.twitter.com/zHeZfM8SMl— Milan Dundovic (@MDundovic) July 12, 2026 THE thing about the Croatian nullification is the sensor only showed one contact, not hair touch and then a header…plausibly it’s out of sync and the single clear sensor spike was from the defender’s header.
I really couldn't mount a strong defense to anyone who wants to claim FIFA is tipping the scales for top teams this time around. Pete (doesn't think he could prove that claim either, though)
I haven’t seen anything thing that makes me think it is a bias ‘thumb on the scale’. Generally speaking I see human and technology variation that is manifested into emotional controversies.
Bias isn’t always conscious. I don’t think anyone is saying “don’t give Messi a red card“, but every ref is consciously and subconsciously aware of the scrutiny they’ll get if they do.
Of course, but the only one that was at that level the ref didn’t see and at that time the group stage games had lots of ‘follow through’ and ‘oh, I didn’t mean to step on your calf, it was a natural movement’ Does beg the question if VAR would consider asking the official to review a dive/simulation by any of the ‘stars’…rules should be enforced the same for all!
I want them to do this a lot more. Pete (thought the English guy who stepped in front of a Norwegian then took a dive deserved one too)
That's how I see a lot of these decisions. And not just for fear of scrutiny. Referee sees Egypt go up on Argentina 2-0 and goes into the VAR review thinking something's wrong. But when Argentina scores to take the lead he thinks, "Well, yeah, it's Argentina." Pete (has noticed a pronounced lack of controversial decisions favoring the minnows)
I asked ChatGPT to do my work for me: Q: How many of these incidents favored England France Argentina and Spain? Pete (points out that in asking ChatGPT the question, that alone might bias the result)
It’s kind of knowing the answer before you ask the question…the calls are inherently controversial because they were seen as impacting the outcome, and those 4 teams didn’t lose.