Portugal manager Fernando Santos said he is not bothered who scores Portugal's goals at the World Cup after Cristiano Ronaldo claimed he got a touch on the ball for his country's opening goal vs Uruguay.
Portugal beat Uruguay 2-0 on Monday as they booked their place in the round of 16. For the first goal, Bruno Fernandes curled in a cross that saw Ronaldo leap high into the air and appear to glance a header into the bottom corner. The 37-year-old wheeled away in delight, claiming the goal as his own, yet replays showed that the former United man did not make contact with the ball.
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A statement provided by FIFA on behalf of adidas has since confirmed that Ronaldo's head did not make contact with the ball, with the goal officially being awarded to Fernandes instead.
The statement read: "In the match between Portugal and Uruguay, using the Connected Ball Technology housed in adidas's Al Rihla Official Match Ball, we are able to definitively show no contact on the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo for the opening goal in the game.
"No external force on the ball could be measured as shown by the lack of 'heartbeat' in our measurements. The 500Hz IMU sensor inside the ball allows us to be highly accurate in our analysis."
The goal would have taken Ronaldo level with legendary striker Eusebio on nine World Cup goals for Portugal. Yet the 37-year-old will now have to wait until his nation's clash against South Korea on December 2 for another chance to score.
The controversial moment though continues to rear its head, as Santos was asked during a press conference if he should intervene to try and have the goal awarded to Ronaldo. Yet the 68-year-old dismissed the notion, admitting that all that mattered was the goal was given for the team.
Santos replied: "Me? I should ask for the goal to be allowed to Ronaldo? Who am I going to ask? It was a goal for the team and that is all that is important."
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