Cape Town — For several fleeting moments during Monday's Portugal v Uruguay Group H match, superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was credited with the opening goal in the match.
And he believed that he genuinely scored the goal and set off to the corner flag to perform his trademark celebration, a ballet-like jump before exclaiming "SI" (Spanish for 'yes') before landing.
Just as he had completed the routine, it became clear from the captions on the stadium's giant TV screen that his Portugal teammate Bruno Fernandes had been credited with the goal.
It was a real downer for Ronaldo, one of the finest players of his generation. He started disputing the information about who scored the goal by brushing his hair with his bare hand to show that the ball skimmed his head before it entered Uruguay's net.
However, the TV production crew includes staff who use Adidas technology inside the match ball. It can determine if a player has made contact with the ball and this time the technology showed that the ball did not make contact with Ronaldo's hair or head.
TV analyst Joe Cole, a former England midfielder who has played over 400 Premiership matches, said that with his acting, Ronaldo was destined for Hollywood. Cole said he failed to see how Ronaldo could claim the goal.
"His reaction suggests he touches it but I’m yet to see a camera angle that suggests he definitely touched it," said Cole.
"I can’t see where he touches it (the ball). When you slow it down you can’t see where he touches it. He’s definitely destined for Hollywood if he didn’t touch it (and claims the goal)."
Another TV analyst, Graeme Souness, the Liverpool and Scotland great, said Ronaldo's goal celebration was convincing.
"I think we’re in the realms of ‘only he really knows’, but that doesn’t clear it," said Souness.
"He’ll wish he never had his haircut this morning, I’m looking at that reaction, and if he hasn’t touched it, that is acting pretty, good acting."
If it was of any consolation to the Portuguese superstar his former Man U teammate Fernandes said afterwards that he thought Ronaldo had scored Portugal's opening goal, even though he was credited with the goal.
IOL Sport