Why Goal-line Technology is Football’s Biggest Innovation
By TOI Staff
October 20, 2023
Update on : October 20, 2023
As the years have passed, technology in football has grown. Goal-line technology was introduced at the top level of the beautiful game around a decade ago and has become a huge asset to the sport.
Goal-line Technology: A Huge Step in the Right Direction
Alongside goal-line technology, football now uses Video Assistant Referee (VAR), ball technology, and various player-tracking systems. Although big strides have been made with VAR, we are still far from the perfect technology.
Goal-line technology was first introduced at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. After Frank Lampard’s obvious goal was controversially not given four years prior, the pressure was on FIFA to implement the right technology going forward.
There are several cameras positioned in and around the goal that capture footage at 500 frames per second. If the entire ball crosses the line, a signal will be sent to the referee’s watch. In a survey in 2018, goal-line technology was voted the best innovation in football over the past 30 years by British football supporters.
However, there was one case in the Premier League where the technology failed. In the unique 2020 season, all eyes were on the return game at Villa Park between Aston Villa and Sheffield United. The football world was buzzing after 100 days away, but the match will always be remembered for the goal-line technology blunder.
For the first time in 9,000 Premier League matches, goal-line technology failed. The Villa goalkeeper fell back into the goal, and the ball was clearly over the line, but referee Michael Oliver could not give the goal as his watch never buzzed.
This goal should never have stood. This goal effectively kept Villa in the league. Villa were going to sell Grealish for cheap to United if they had gotten relegated.
— FPL Frasier (@FPLfrasier) October 1, 2023
Villa stayed up and Grealish went for 100m later. That money was spent on the Villa rebuild and the team is… pic.twitter.com/CvP3PzLtOC
Hawk-Eye, the creator of the technology, later apologised for the error and explained that players or goalposts blocked all cameras, so there was no clear sight of the ball. The match between Aston Villa and Sheffield United ended in a goalless draw.
Technology in Football Betting & Player Performance
Technology also plays a huge role in football betting. Millions of pounds are spent on football wagers in Britain every year, and technological advancements are crucial in order to keep users’ trust high. Cutting-edge betting software provides updated, crystal-clear data, with bet monitors also helping with risk management.
Players are also tagged in real-time with extensive tracking systems and monitoring. Even the ball has technology built in, which allows for even more accurate VAR calls.
VAR Continues to Struggle
Thankfully, goal-line technology has been a revelation, but VAR continues to have problems. The Premier League introduced the technology in the 2019-20 season, and VAR has divided opinion ever since.
VAR caused controversy again in a recent Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. The Virtual Assistant Referee failed to overturn a wrong offside call at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, incorrectly stating the goal had been given by the ref on the pitch.
Liverpool Football Club acknowledges PGMOL’s admission of their failures last night.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 1, 2023
It is clear that the correct application of the laws of the game did not occur, resulting in sporting integrity being undermined.
There have been countless controversial moments surrounding VAR in its short history. Many goals, penalties, and red cards have been awarded or not awarded incorrectly.
As for goal-line technology, despite the obvious error at Villa Park in 2020, the technology has been vital for top-level football in England.
Read more: Why Goal-line Technology is Football’s Biggest InnovationLatest News
Related Posts
