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Goalkeepers made several blunders in the quarter-final matches. Belgium's Senne Lammens parried a shot directly into the path of Mikel Merino against Spain, who capitalized to score the winning goal. Similarly, Norwegian goalkeeper Örjan Nyland fumbled against England, allowing Jude Bellingham to pounce on the rebound and secure his team's progression.
Joe Hart pondered whether the Trionda ball, currently used at the World Cup, might be a factor in these situations. He believes it shares similar characteristics with the infamous Jabulani from 2010, known for its unpredictable flight path.
"I thought it was very similar to the Jabulani. If you don't catch the ball correctly, there's a real danger," said the 39-year-old Englishman, who was a reserve goalkeeper for the national team at the tournament in South Africa and now works as a BBC pundit.
"It sounded like I was trying to invent some conspiracy about this ball. I'm not doing that, those were just my observations," assured Joe Hart, who was convinced by lower-league goalkeeper Connor O’Keefe to conduct a test. O'Keefe shot both the Jabulani and Trionda balls at him, but the 2010 World Cup ball proved more problematic.
More on the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
- Full Schedule
- Complete Results
- Standings
- 2026 FIFA World Cup News
- World Cup TV Schedule
- Team Kits
- Stadiums
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