Jude Bellingham scored another superb goal for England in the World Cup 2026. against Norway in the quarter-finals, but controversy surrounded the build-up.
That’s because Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland's goal kick appeared to touch a cable above the Miami Stadium.
The ball was then dropped into the path of Elliot Anderson, who exchanged a pass with Anthony Gordon, with the ball then fizzed into Bellingham, who dribbled into the penalty area and finished strongly.
But Nyland was furious after conceding the equaliser and rushed to referee Clement Turpin to protest.
And Stale Solbakken and his coaching staff remonstrated with Turpin at the interval, too.
Yet VAR did not intervene and the goal stood for Thomas Tuchel’s side to ensure the score was level at 1-1 heading into the break.
Ex-Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg stated on Fox that the incident could have been reviewed: “VAR can interfere if that contact of the ball on the camera cable is part of a reviewable incident.
"An attacking phase of play leading to a goal is part of the var reviewable incident. It should have been picked up by the VAR.”
If a ball hits a Spidercam, then “outside interference” can be given to stop the game and restart the game with a drop ball.
Fifa then released a statement to clarify VAR’s position on the incident: “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.”
Norway informing match officials that England's goal was a result of the ball hitting the camera cable pic.twitter.com/ILkgjpPGKO
— The ANF Club ⚽️ (@adjorNfriends) July 11, 2026
Solbakken was asked at the start of the post-match press conference whether the camera wire deserved an assist for the leveller, with the Norway boss saying: “Yeah, it probably will.
“That was unlucky for us. The ball fell straight down from the sky, so it changed its direction.
“It became a misunderstanding among our players and it was in a bad moment for us, but we can’t do anything about that.
“I don’t think we will play the game again, so that’s how it is.”
Solbakken said he did not see the ball hit the wire but many on the Norwegian bench did, even if it was not picked up by Fifa.
“I can’t say anything about that because Fifa,” he said. “If there’s no been no sound or there has been no (reading) in the chip, what can I say against that?
“But the ball drops down straight from heaven says everyone, including Orjan, who is the goalie, including the guy who is going to receive the ball.
“I saw another way just then, so I wonder also what happened. I think it’s pretty clear that it did and it was a strange thing.”
