Part 1: Top 10 divers of all time
10) Giorgos Karagounis
It would simply be unfair to all the football fans if the Greek player Karagounis did not make this list. To be honest, the playmaker has probably dived more times than he had scored goals during his “illustrious” career with the Greek side. However, it is
very odd that he barely got caught.
9) Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker is known to be the “Mr. Nice Guy” all over England and this is not sarcasm that he faces but because of his great booking record; the player has never been booked or been sent off throughout his professional career. Just like Pippo Inzaghi, Linekar
was simply a “phenomenal” diver. It was the Englishman who dived not once but twice during the FIFA World Cup 1990 to win his team two penalties and helped England qualify for the semi final as they won the quarter final with the help of those two penalties.
8) Luca Toni
It was the Italian who simply tore off the Spanish side Getafe’s UEFA Cup dreams as he won the match for the German side Bayern Munich. No matter how good a striker he might be, he is considered to be one of the greatest divers in the history of the game. His
height is approximately 6 and a half feet but he is definitely a player who would end up diving to win his team a penalty.
7) Bernd Holzenbein
Bernd Holzenbein was the best diver in the history of the German Bundesliga. That might sum it up for everyone. The Dutch star Arjen Robben might be the second best now but it was Holzenbein who dived during the FIFA World Cup final against Johan Cruyff’s Dutch
team and won the German side a penalty to win it his team.
6) Francis Lee
One of the first English players who mastered the art of diving. While playing for the English side Manchester City during the 1960s and 1970s, the Englishman simply learned how to throw himself to the ground at the right time.
5) Pippo Inzaghi
He is definitely one of the best in-the-box strikers of all time. Obviously it was the German star Gerd Mueller and the Dutch striker Ruud Van Nistelroy who made their names inside the box later on but Inzaghi just knew “when to be there.” Despite the fact
that he was a sensational goal scorer, he was still one of the greatest strikers to fall to the ground. The way he used to lock his arms around his opponents as he pretended to move away from him always worked for his side and helped them win free kicks and
penalties.
4) Andreas Mueller
The German player was simply a success in the Italian side Juventus during the years 1992, 1993 and 1994. However, he flew back to Germany to join the German side Borussia Dortmund. Later, he dived to win a penalty against Karlsruhe – a penalty that proved
to be very crucial for his side. Andy Mueller became the first ever player to be banned for such a thing. Even though he expressed the dive as “protective,” the German Football Association thought otherwise and he got banned for simulation.
3) Cristiano Ronaldo
Who can forget this player when “diving” is being discussed? The Portuguese would simply throw himself to the ground time and time again to win his team a few free kicks. His free kicks are phenomenal and the former player of the year would usually find
the net from a dead ball but the way he used to win those free kicks was “legendary.” Locking his feet with the knee of the opposition’s defender, he would simply drop dead on to the field and ask for a free kick. With the help of his light weight and speed,
he simply got an extra bonus and he barely got caught.
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