5 players who you never thought would dive but do

I cannot seem to understand how a professional foul is considered a mark of sharpness, tactical ingenuity and showered with phrases like taking one for the team, while diving, a similarly cunning ploy, is pelted with so much criticism. Diving or any form of simulation in football evokes a certain disdain that fans reserve for the lowliest of crime on a football pitch.While some players seek to dive in order to gain advantage in a crunch situation game, others are touted as serial divers, who have slowly gained repute for their feigning ways. Reputation is a big deal here. Ashley Young, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Busquets and the likes have slowly been stereotyped as divers and are abuses; while as earlier stated they are not the only one doing it (albeit their frequency and frivolity in doing it, like this recent dive by Luis Fabiano).These are bad guys in fans opinion, but what about the good ones? What if they dive? And trust me they do dive. Here is a list of gentlemen (not in truest sense of the word, considering we have Pepe in the list) of the game who you might not expect to dive but have done so.

#5 Wayne Rooney

“You would not see an Englishman dive, diving as a culture is foreign to the English Game”. Such platitudes have been proven wrong time and again. None other than the most “English” of English strikers, Wayne Rooney has been doing his bit in dispelling such myths and that too in a comprehensive way.

Right from the game against Arsenal that saw Manchester United end the Gunners’ invincible run a decade or so ago, thanks to a young Rooney’s dive induced penalty, to the latest case of “admitting” to the Preston goalkeeper that he had dived for a penalty.

Rooney has been known for his work rate, team play and his ability to fight till the last minute. But that does not absolve him for his diving; neither should his full blooded Englishness. Despite all his talent, Rooney has been found guilty of diving proving that the game has its own set of sly tactics and players regardless of their nationality are bound to use them rather than take the high road.

Fast forward to the 5:00 mark to see the dive.