Adidas use highly accurate sensors to confirm that Cristiano Ronaldo had no contact with the ball for Portugal's first goal against Uruguay

Adidas have confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo did not get the defining touch on the ball for Portugal's opener against Uruguay at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The two teams clashed at the Lusail Stadium on Monday (November 28). A Selecao took the lead in the 54th minute through Bruno Fernandes. Ronaldo was seen claiming the goal, but FIFA's official website attributed it to Fernandes.

On Tuesday (November 29), El Chiringuito (via 90min) reported that the Portuguese football federation had evidence to prove that Ronaldo scored the goal. The report added that they will be presenting that evidence to FIFA.

However, Adidas, who have manufactured the ball for this year's FIFA World Cup, have confirmed that it was Fernandes' goal using a 500Hz IMU sensor. The company said in a statement (as quoted by the Daily Mail):

"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."

Adidas added:

"No external force on the ball could be measured as shown by the lack of ‘heartbeat’ in our measurements and in the attached graphic. The 500Hz IMU sensor inside the ball allows us to be highly accurate in our analysis."

The statement is expected to settle a debate which has, in some sense, overshadowed Portugal's victory over their biggest Group H rivals.

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Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal become third team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup to qualify for the knockouts

Bruno Fernandes' 54th-minute strike put Portugal in the driver's seat in a hard-fought contest against Uruguay on Monday. The Manchester United midfielder's goal allowed head coach Fernando Santos to rest some of his players in the latter stages of the game.

One of those who made way was Cristiano Ronaldo, who was substituted in the 83rd minute and replaced by Goncalo Ramos. It meant Ronaldo couldn't add to his tally of eight FIFA World Cup goals, though his side scored again late in the game.

Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez was adjudged to have handled the ball in his box deep into stoppage time. Fernandes stepped up and converted the spot-kick for his second goal and sealed all three points for A Selecao.

The result meant Portugal became the third team to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup's last 16. The Cristiano Ronaldo-led team followed reigning champions France and tournament favorites Brazil, who also won their first two group-stage games, into the knockouts.