Without the technical aids used at the World Cup, his goal against Tunisia would not have been awarded. Svanberg and the national team can thank “Snicko” for finally getting the 4-1 goal in the 5-1 victory in Monterrey.
Snicko? It's the advanced system used in cricket and now adopted in football. In simple terms, VAR referees can quickly see on a graph if the ball changes direction.
That's exactly what happened before Svanberg - after 18 seconds on the pitch - sent it in to make it 4-1. The midfielder was initially in an offside position when Yasin Ayari headed in a free kick from the right wing. By the time the ball reached Svanberg, he had cleared offside.
Pressure on the referee
The Skåne native roared his joy and celebrated with his teammates when the offside flag was raised.
Neither the assistant referee nor the main referee Yael Falcon noticed that Alexander Isak had lightly touched the ball before it reached Svanberg. This ruled out the offside.
Several Swedish players pointed out the facts to the Argentine referee, who listened intently to what the VAR team thought.
"I think he was calm and we weren't too heated. We just tried to explain that 'Alex' was on the ball and get that across," says Svanberg.
Packed with technology
With the help of Snicko, it was confirmed what several Swedish players but not the referees had perceived. Falcon got the message - it was a goal. Svanberg and the other Swedish players were able to celebrate again.
Svanberg accepts VAR outside Sweden.
"Since the technology has been around for so long in international football, the only option is to continue developing it. In my case and for the team, it was a step in the right direction. But I understand the fans in Sweden who don't want it," says Svanberg.
The World Cup ball is packed with technology, as The Athletic reports. The ball manufacturer calls the technology "Connected Ball Technology" (CBT). Sensors in the ball send real-time information. Player position data streamlines the semi-automatic offside process with the help of AI. The sensor delivers data 500 times a second and can determine exactly when the ball is touched.
With that information, the VAR team quickly received notification that Alexander Isak had touched the ball.
