Ronaldo's goal caused fierce controversy

Ronaldo's goal that helped Portugal win 2-1 against Germany in the UEFA Nations League semi-final is causing fierce controversy over its validity.

Ronaldo continues to add to his illustrious career - Photo: REUTERS

Early morning of June 5, Portugal won the right to enter the UEFA Nations League final after a 2-1 victory over Germany thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's decisive goal.

The two European giants created an extremely dramatic match, when the score was 1-1, the turning point came in the 68th minute.

Nuno Mendes and Ronaldo had a good coordination. Mendes made a pass to Ronaldo to easily tap the ball into the net to bring victory to Portugal.

Immediately, the German players surrounded the referee in a loud protest and demanded an offside. However, the linesman kept his flag up and did not give any real-time signal.

However, slow-motion replays later on television showed that Ronaldo appeared to be in an offside position, causing great doubt from fans.

Image through TV camera angle (left) and result of semi-automatic VAR technology - Photo: X

The special thing is that at the UEFA Nations League, the semi-automatic VAR technology, which was successfully applied at the World Cup, was used. In just a few short seconds, the final decision was made: Ronaldo's goal was completely valid.

A digital image is then displayed, clearly illustrating Ronaldo's position under the ball (on-side) at the moment the pass was made.

It’s worth noting that the VAR analysis looks significantly different to the angles fans are shown on TV. While it’s possible the camera position made Ronaldo appear offside when he wasn’t, this is the type of goal that’s routinely ruled out when VAR uses manual line marking technology.

Although the semi-automated VAR system almost certainly made the correct decision thanks to the advancement of technology, this still cannot allay the skepticism from fans.

Many conflicting opinions have exploded on social media platforms like X, showing their difficulty in accepting the final decision, despite the intervention of modern technology.

THANH DINH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ban-thang-cua-ronaldo-gay-tranh-cai-du-doi-20250605104343149.htm