Garry Kasparov (foto: Instagram)
Garry Kasparov joked about FIFA after England's controversial equaliser, referencing Croatia's disallowed World Cup goal and the Connected Ball technology.
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Garry Kasparov has added his voice to the growing debate surrounding
England's controversial equaliser against
Norway, using humour to question
FIFA's explanation of one of the most talked-about incidents of the
2026 World Cup.
The controversy stems from Jude Bellingham's equalising goal late in the first half of England's quarter-final. Norwegian players argued that the ball struck a Spidercam cable suspended above the pitch before the move continued, claiming play should have been stopped and the goal disallowed.
FIFA, however, stated after the match that its Connected Ball technology detected no contact between the ball and the camera cable, meaning there was no evidence to overturn the goal.
Kasparov's viral response
The explanation failed to convince Kasparov, who posted a sarcastic message on X that quickly attracted widespread attention.
"FIFA must make all camera wires out of Croatian hair from now on!" the former world chess champion wrote.
The joke referenced another controversial World Cup incident involving Croatia.
A reference to Croatia's disallowed goal
During Croatia's round-of-16 defeat to Portugal, a goal was ruled out after the Connected Ball system detected the slightest contact between the ball and the hair of Igor Matanović, who was standing in an offside position.
Although the touch was almost impossible to spot with the naked eye, the automated technology triggered an offside review that ultimately led to the goal being disallowed.
Kasparov's comment highlighted what many supporters see as an inconsistency. If the system was sensitive enough to detect a brush against a player's hair, critics ask why it failed to register an alleged collision with a camera cable.
Debate continues despite FIFA explanation
The discussion surrounding England's equaliser has shown no sign of fading.
Several former referees, television analysts and supporters continue to question whether the goal should have stood, while FIFA maintains that all available technical evidence supports the original decision on the field.
The incident has become one of the defining refereeing controversies of the tournament and has once again placed the Connected Ball system under intense scrutiny.