FIFA World Cup 2022: England star questions the 'feeling' of the footballs in Qatar

There were goals galore yesterday in the World Cup. Some of the games have had a lack of it but overall there has been a decent number of goals scored in the tournament. But we have missed a type of goal glaringly in this World Cup, and that is direct free-kicks.

The show-stopping free-kick goals have been a big zero so far in the tournament. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and others have tried their luck but it all has either blazed over or been blocked by the wall. Mexico's Alexis Vega took a good one in the Argentina match but that has been few and far between.

And in terms of the lack of free-kick goals, is it the possible reason that the ball is doing the talking? It may well be.

England right-back Kieran Tripper says he feels the Al Rihla ball is a bit different than other balls. Trippier, who himself is a top-notch free-kick taker, has said that the ball feels lighter.

"Every time I've crossed the ball I've felt the balls are a bit different," the English defender said.

"I feel it's a bit lighter. It feels if you put too much power on it, it'll just fly away but it's one of those where we have to deal with that - all of us do. We train with the same ones. There are no excuses really. It's a football, isn't it?"

The Al-Rihla balls will cost you 13000 INR, and was claimed by manufacturers Adidas as the fastest ball in World Cup history. And the importance of the ball is that it has aided the officials. The hi-tech sensor implanted in it has helped with semi-automated offside decision-making in this tournament, the first time in the history of the game.

But perhaps the 'different' ball is causing the lack of free-kick goals in the tournament.

England are on top the Group B with 4 points after two games. The Three Lions started off with a 6-2 win over Iran and followed that up with a 0-0 draw against the USA. They will be taking on Wales in the final group-stage game.