Portuguese newspaper: 'FIFA considers returning Ronaldo's goal'

Accordingly, FIFA will consider for one to two days before making a decision.

On the evening of November 28 at Lusail, Ronaldo headed high after Bruno Fernandes' cross in the 54th minute. He then celebrated wildly with his teammates. But then, FIFA thought that the 37-year-old striker had not touched the ball, so Fernandes was credited as the author of the opening goal.

This decision caused mixed opinions. While some pundits such as Graeme Souness and Hal Robson-Kanu said that Ronaldo appeared not to have touched the ball, others called on FIFA to return Ronaldo's goal. According to former US international Alexi Lalas, the Portuguese captain confirmed he had touched the ball in a text message to presenter Piers Morgan after the game.

According to El Chiringuito, the Portuguese Football Federation will provide evidence to prove Ronaldo has scored. A similar case happened in the Premier League in 2018, when Harry Kane claimed he lightly touched the ball after a Christian Eriksen free-kick in the Stoke City match. Finally, Kane was credited with scoring the goal, but not enough to win the Golden Boot that year because two fewer goals than Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.

If recognized, Ronaldo will have a ninth goal at the World Cup. Before that, he became the first male player to score in five consecutive World Cups with a goal against Ghana in the opening match.

The only time Ronaldo scored more than one goal at the World Cup was four years ago, with four goals, including a hat-trick against Spain and one against Morocco. At the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups, Ronaldo scored only one goal. All of his goals in the World Cup were scored in the group stage.