Joe Hart claims 'something's up' with adidas Trionda ball at 2026 World Cup after seeing the same type of goal 'way too many times'

Speaking on BBC, Hart questioned the behaviour of the adidas Trionda ball after watching several similar goals during the 2026 World Cup. His latest comments came after Kylian Mbappe's opening goal in France's 3-0 win over Iraq. He also pointed to several other incidents involving leading goalkeepers, including England's Jordan Pickford, as evidence that the ball's flight characteristics may be creating problems.

Hart argued that goalkeepers are finding it particularly difficult to deal with shots struck without curl and travelling at shoulder height. According to the former Manchester City goalkeeper, the issue has become too common throughout the tournament to be dismissed as coincidence.

"I am seeing this goal way too many times at a World Cup for there not to be something up with that football," Hart explained. "It is that shoulder height, as soon as they are not using a curling technique and that ball is not moving or spinning, the goalkeepers are struggling."

Discussing Mbappe's strike, he added: "Kylian Mbappe gets it out of his feet, of course there are a few defenders in the way and that makes it difficult for [goalkeeper] Ahmed [Basil], but he has his eyes on it from this moment on. Watch the trajectory of the ball, it is not moving.

"It is not right in the corner – this is not me coming for the goalkeeper because I have seen this with [Edouard] Mendy, [Luca] Zidane, Pickford – they just cannot seem to get their timing right with this World Cup football with anything above shoulder height that is not a curled effort.

"As it leaves [Mbappe’s foot] a World Cup goalkeeper can get a step in and dive, but it seems as if it is on him before he can even make contact. How many times at the top level do you see a goalkeeper touch it and it go in? Very rarely, because they are good enough that if they do get contact they get it wide."

The former England international believes the issue goes beyond individual mistakes. Hart argued that the speed and lack of spin on certain strikes are disrupting the instincts and timing developed by elite goalkeepers through years of training.

"At this tournament, I am noticing goalkeepers getting a touch on it above shoulder height but not being able to keep it out," he said. "Something’s up. It is the brain calculation of a goalkeeper. You see it, you get set, you get your movement in and you fly after the ball. At this tournament they are getting set and flying after it but it is just not matching up with what they are doing daily."

While no active goalkeepers at the tournament have yet joined Hart in his public criticism, the situation is drawing comparisons to the infamous Jabulani ball from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. That ball was famously described by players as "supermarket quality" due to its unpredictable movement. The Trionda, designed with four panels and strategically placed debossed lines for stability, was supposed to avoid such controversy. With the World Cup continuing and more knockout matches still to be played, scrutiny of the Trionda's performance is likely to intensify.