The 2026 World Cup quarter-final between Norway and England, won by the English The match, which ended 2-1 after extra time, continues to generate discussion. Beyond the disallowed Norwegian goal and the penalty ultimately overturned for England, it is Jude Bellingham's first goal that is now the focus of debate. Norway believes this equalizer should never have stood. The reason given is a possible contact between the ball and the cable of the Spidercam, the camera suspended above the pitch, at the very beginning of the play.
The ball's trajectory was deemed abnormal.
The action began with a clearance from Norwegian goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland. Several replays suggested the ball abruptly changed trajectory before falling to Elliot Anderson, allowing England to build the attack finished by Jude Bellingham in first-half stoppage time. According to the IFAB Laws of the Game, if the ball touches an external element such as a cable suspended above the pitch, play must be immediately stopped and restarted with a dropped ball. If this contact is confirmed, all subsequent action, including the goal, should have been disallowed.
Norway disputes the decision, FIFA defends it
The Norwegian players immediately protested to Clément Turpin after England's equalizer. After the match, manager Ståle Solbakken stated he was convinced the ball had touched the cable, claiming several members of his team had noticed the change in trajectory. FIFA, however, explained that no technical evidence confirmed this contact. The governing body indicated that the sensor integrated into the connected ball had not registered any impact or trajectory anomaly. In the absence of objective evidence demonstrating contact with the cable, VAR did not intervene, and the goal stood.
Two other important decisions by Clément Turpin
The French referee was also called upon twice by his video assistant referee, Jérôme Brisard, during the match. In the 56th minute, he disallowed Torbjørn Heggem's goal after seeing Erling Haaland push Elliot Anderson before the Norwegian defender's successful shot. Later, during extra time, Clément Turpin also reviewed a penalty he had awarded to England after a second video review. The footage led him to overturn his initial decision.
A controversy that is likely to last
The validation of Jude Bellingham's opening goal has fueled discussions far beyond the match itself. Former referees, several pundits, and the Norwegian camp believe the play should have been stopped if the ball had indeed touched the cable. Conversely, FIFA relies on data from the connected ball to assert that no contact was detected. The debate therefore remains open. The footage broadcast during and after the match has fueled the questions, but, as things stand, the official decision remains unchanged: Jude Bellingham's goal is valid, and England continues its journey to the semi-finals.
