Goal-line technology is here!

FIFA finally gives the nod to use it at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil

I have always wondered, what if Frank Lampard’s screamer against Germany in the 2010 World Cup was allowed?

Would England have overcome Germany at Bloemfontein that day?

The final score at the Free State Stadium read 4-1 in favour of Germany. The sound of the vuvuzelas filled the entire stadium as England were dumped out of the competition. No wonder, Fabio Capello (then England Manager) and the entire England squad felt undone by not only a superb counter-attacking German team, but also, a horrendous mistake by Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda and his officials.

I admit I am a Three lions fan, but even a neutral soccer fanatic would have clearly seen the ball land atleast a feet inside Manuel Neuer’s goal. The whole world saw it. But then, the referees missed it. It happened so swiftly, that it was tough to get that one right.

Ever since that match, calls for including goal-line technology to assist referees in such tricky situations, picked up more steam. And now, almost five decades after England’s Geoff Hurst scored that controversial third goal against West Germany in the 1966 FIFA World Cup final at Wembley, goal-line technology has been finally given the go ahead by FIFA for use at the next world cup in Brazil.

Ironically, it will be a British and a German-Danish firm who will lock horns to be the chosen system in goal-line technology.

British-based Hawk-eye, which was recently bought by Sony, uses high-speed camera cameras rigged to the roof of the stadium to track the movement of the ball. A computer system sends a signal to the referee’s watch, which has an in-built receiver, when the ball crosses the line. The only glitch with Hawk-eye is whether the camera will be able to sight the ball if it is lodged beneath a horde of players in case of a goal-mouth scramble.

This is where Danish-German based GoalRef holds a slight advantage. GoalRef uses magnetic strips to judge the ball's movement. These strips are placed inside the outer lining of the ball. When the ball crosses the line, sensors situated on the crossbar and the goalposts send a signal to the computer system which alerts the referee through a receiver in their watch. All this happens within a fraction of a second. GoalRef too has a hurdle in its path. It will have to convince ball manufacturers to install magnetic strips inside the balls.

The technology is also set to be taken up by the Premier League next season, as talks with the companies are in advanced stages. Goal-line technology's approval is yet another milestone in a long list of rules and changes made in the world of football over the years.

Some fans will welcome the idea of having the technology. Some might say that this could take away the fun, excitement and nail-biting thrills that define the beautiful game, but whether the technology clicks and keeps pace with game remains to be seen.