That is absolutely pathetic.



A repeat but yes...

This one was worse, but dear lord, he's a clown

This is - anecdotally - the single most cited example of why "people hate soccer".

Something this blatant should be met with a two or three match ban from real (ie. not friendly) international competition.

It sort of reminds me of the NBA. No one wants to be known as a flopper, and it seems as though the flopping has lessened just based on the collective player culture.

One anecdote from pro wrestling. I once met a guy who was an small-time pro-wrestler (this was back in the late 80s) and of course he acknowledged that the whole sport was staged and faked, which we all know. But, he said, "you can still get hurt". And then he went on to tell me about a match where the wrestlers disagreed on the script (who would win, and how), and so instead of a staged match, the bigger wrestler just beat the sh*t out of the smaller one right there in the ring. The crowd got their money's worth that night.

So I kind of wonder about the "enforcer" angle, as in "Hey Neymar, I'll be sure that the next time you crumple over in pain, that you'll feel it".

I'm sure none of the proposed solutions will work. But in my mind it has to come from the players rather than the leagues, because it's simply unfair to ask the referees to be the immediate judge of whether a player is faking an injury.

Why FIFA does not act should tell you a lot.

I would do it as post-match reviews with match bans as the penalty.

A lot of it is gamesmanship, and I don't want to put even more pressure on the refs than they currently have. Sure, some refs take action when it is egregious, which is fine. However, post-match review, passing out bans would go a long way to cleaning up The Solid-6 Game.

A post-game ban as opposed to an in-game penalty can have the affect of punishing the non-offending team twice. First by awarding a phantom foul and then again by giving a different team in the group
An advantage over the offending team Even though that team was not harmed by the offense. In turn this could lead to needed points for the team that benefits and could give hem the edge over the offended team.

In-game red cards are the only way to stop this

A couple yellows will get the floppers' attention. But it has to happen. Diving is a scourge.

Particularly in the attacking end
The benefit of flopping would still outweigh the cost

There should be opportunity to give them a red or a yellow

In club leagues, they need to fine the players.

In internationals and other competitions with a group structure, they need to be suspended. The goal is a suspension isn’t really to punish the player’s team, it’s to discourage the action. I disagree that it’s a meaningful disadvantage to the “offended” team. It isn’t like making the team play with 10 players. The potential disadvantage is, in theory, far outweighed by the discouragement it provides the diving squad.

I'm still getting used to it. I have been impressed with how FIFA have implemented it for this WC.

Just give it a minute

I caught the last partial second of the exchange with only him falling and writhing and complaining to the ref. When they showed the replay I nearly pissed myself. Godspeed, Pepe! I hope your recovery is in time for your next match. Pepe now knows what Mo Salah feels like.

where he'll arrive in an ambulance just before game time and bravely score against Iran. I could be wrong however, and maybe Portugal will have to win one for the Pepper.