World Cup: Joe Hart Suggests Goalkeeper Mistakes Could Be Down to Ball

Writing has always been Josh's way of expressing his deep enthusiasm for sports, and this new path allows him to bring a fresh and honest perspective to his work.

He also gains valuable experience as a volunteer match reporter for the Loughborough Foxes WFC. Covering live events has helped Josh improve his storytelling skills and given him a closer insight into the game. Sign in to your GiveMeSport account After retiring two seasons ago, former England and Manchester City goalkeeper, Joe Hart, immediately set to work as a pundit for the BBC at Euro 2024.

He remains with them covering the World Cup, and it appears that he’s clocked something that could prove decisive as the tournament unfolds.

The World Cup is a slightly sore subject for Hart. He only ever played at one World Cup himself, in 2014, when Roy Hodgson's side finished bottom of their group. He also travelled to South Africa in 2010, though Fabio Capello chose Rob Green and David James ahead of him. That tournament put the chaos of the Jabulani on full display, and Hart believes this summer's competition has thrown up an eerily similar problem.

Speaking on the BBC after analysing Martin Baturina’s equaliser for Croatia against England, Hart seemed to think the ball, the Trianda, which is supplied by Adidas, could be catching goalkeepers out: "I honestly feel like this ball is coming onto the goalkeepers a lot faster than they feel it is off the foot. Now, what you notice with this is Jordan Pickford flies at this ball, and he just doesn't. You'll ask, ‘Why has he gone with his thumb rather than his hand? It just feels like it is on him.”

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Hart went through more examples from the tournament, including Lionel Messi's opener against Algeria, pointing out that goalkeepers are consistently misjudging their timing on shots from distance, suggesting that in normal circumstances, some shots would have a higher chance of being saved.

Unlike anything used before it, the Trianda is fitted with live sensors that feed data straight to VAR, helping officials judge touches and track movement, and it even requires charging before a match. It's also built with just four panels rather than 32, a design change that alters how the ball moves through the air.

Hart's breakdown went down well online, with multiple fans praising the fresh insight he's brought to the punditry desk, and the representation provides for goalkeepers.

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"He's a great addition as a pundit, because he actually gives some insight into an area of the game most people don't really think about."

"Him and Rooney are far better pundits than I expected them to be, nice to have a keeper giving insight, usually an area they don't have expertise on."

With Hart's explanation now out there, backed up by what looks like visual evidence to support it, don't be surprised if outfield players start sensing an opportunity, and long-range efforts could become a lot more common for the rest of the tournament.