Ten Of The Worst Soccer Dives Ever (video)

Diving in soccer is the most unsportsmanlike like move in all of sports. I hate it, everyone I know hates it but everyone understands the reason for it. The game is judged by what the ref sees from however far away he is from the play and when in certain scenarios players think of diving first rather then how to get the ball to someone who would be able to score.

It's so bad that its the only "offensive" foul a player in soccer can commit, much as charging is in basketball. So much so that a player can be given a yellow and even a red card depending how bad of an actor he is.

The problem is that its so wide spread so often when it really is a foul it is seen as a dive and just as much when it is seen as a foul it is actually a dive.

As I write this, Fernando Torres just committed one of his famous dives versus Chile just prior to Spain's second goal, causing the ref to send of a Chilean player.

These are 10 of the worst dives in soccer history, but of course that sentence is also up to other peoples judgment much as these dives....

10. Bosco

This one isn't so much a "dive" per say, but it does incorporate the same aspects of lying to the ref.

After a game between two Brazilian giants, Sao Paulo FC and Palmeiras, the SPFC back up keeper was walking around the field and saw a battery on the field that was thrown by a fan at some previous time and decided that he can show everyone he deserved the spot on the bench. For whatever reason he decides to not only pick up said batter, but to also hold his other hand to his head as if to say he was hit by the battery.

He showed the fourth referee the object after running across the field but to no avail really. The ref did not even mention it in his report after the match.

Bosco was facing a possible 20 match ban by the STDJ, Brazil's highest court in athletics, but was simply given a one match ban for being an idiot.

9. Emerson Acuna

Now to be fair I have to make it clear I am not sure which part of this clip was worst, Emerson Acuna's dive due to a ghost of some sort or the fact the referee gave him a penalty. I mean the ref was right there how did he miss it?

This was part of a match in 2008 between America de Cali and Atletico Junior in Colombia which ended at 1-1.

8. Asamoah Gyan

During Ghana versus Brazil in the round of 16 at the 2006 World Cup, Brazil showed its dominance and blanked then upstart Ghana in the second round 3-0.

Perhaps in a last ditch effort Asamoah Gyan decided to take a dive in the box. Sucks for him, he never took any acting classes and so was simply sent off with a red card.

He does appear to be coming strong so far in 2010.

7. Drogba

Not too much I need to explain here, Mr. Drogba is well known for his acting skills. This is one of my favorite ones, in a match versus Arsenal he shows how big of a man he is by folding as soon as the keeper touched his back.

Not one to be shown up, Droga swiftly recovers to deliver a hell raising chestbump.

6. Dida

The only fan inflicted incident on this list is brought to us by Dida. The AC Milan keeper was clotheslined by a roudy Celtic fan after a goal. He quickly gave chase and after a few steps he decides to just go for it.

Is it worst to take a dive this late or to be seen carried off in that manner due to the hit?

5. Gilardino

Ah yes, the phantom defender strikes again!

Well known broadway star Gilardino graces us yet again with this performance in Phantom Of The Foul.

4. Gamsr Pedersen

I mean really? Really??

How could Pedersen think this would work?

He even looked back to check behind him!

3. Rivaldo

This is one of the worst ones I have ever seen. I remember watching this game and thinking that now no one will remember the bad penalty call that gave Brazil the chance to tie the match late.

The ball hits him on his leg and he flops back covering his face. I honestly can't believe the linesman didn't see it and that the ref bought it.

I just think this was embarrassing.

2. Meier versus Streit

This one is great, I love it. It's also our only player manager clip on this list.

This took place in a Bundesliga match between Duisburg and Cologne in December 2005 and is perhaps the worst acted clip I included. Cologne Player Albert Streit heads out of bounds to grab the ball for a throw in. Duisburg manager Norbert Meier says something to him that I think translated to "lets touch our foreheads together" but my German isn't that great.

Both flop to the floor as if the other had somehow roundhouse kicked him to the face.

1. Roberto Rojas

In a heated match in 1989 between Brazil and Chile, Roberto Rojas left his mark on international soccer.

It was the deciding match to see who would qualify for the 1990 World Cup in Italy the following year. Down 1-0 and with about 20 minutes left in the tough game contested in Rio's famous Maracana stadium, 140,000+ fans helped to energize the Brazilian side. The emotions were so tense in the stands that a 24 year old female fan, Rosemary de Mello, threw onto the field a road flare she was holding as a firework.

The flare hit the ground about a yard away from Rojas but the keeper saw an opportunity and took it. He fell to the floor holding his head, which now cameras were showing was covered in blood. The keeper couldn't get up and was carried of the field. The Chilean captain called his team off the field and refused to play citing dangerous conditions.

After a 30 minute wait the referee decided it was enough and awarded the victory and place in the 1990 Cup to Brazil. Rosemary de Mello was singled out and vilified in the national press and was even charged criminally.

However in the following days pictures from the television broadcasts were showing a clear picture than in fact the flare did not hit Rojas at all. On top of that the people responsible for the flares were able to demonstrate that in no way could the flare cut someone.

Two months later, FIFA cleared Brazil of any wrong doing when it was found that Rojas had actually cut himself using a razor that was pre placed in his glove by the team doctor. It was also shown that Chilean manager Orlando Aravena ordered via walkie-talkie that Rojas was to stay on the floor and leave the match on a stretcher. For this, Aravena, Rojas and team doctor Daniel Rodriguez received lifetime bans from FIFA. Captain Fernando Astengo was also banned for five years for pulling the squad off the field. Rojas's ban however was lifted in 2001 after a request for pardon.

Chile was further banned from the 1994 World Cup by FIFA and Rosemary did what most young famous for no reason women do, she posed for Playboy, after being pardoned of course.