Despite not being a terrible diver (he still does it), one of Eden Hazard's worst moments came in 2013 when he kicked a ball boy to retrieve the ball from him (see video).
Off the field, Hazard's ego and sense of entitlement have also been apparent. Before moving to Chelsea, he appeared in a video where he presented cards with team names on them and let his facial expressions indicate whether he would move to them (assuming they all wanted him). What's more, Hazard has already determined that he will return to Chelsea after his "time at Real Madrid is over," disrespecting Madrid's fans and assuming Chelsea would have him back at that age.
Hazard's 2019 move to Real Madrid also seemed more like a money-making exercise than an attempt at greatness. He arrived overweight and unwilling to put in the necessary effort on and off the pitch, scoring only one goal in an admittedly injury-heavy season and with journalists calling him a joke.
Sergio Busquets is ranked ninth.
Much like his Barcelona teammates at the time, Dani Alves and Pedro, Sergio Busquets took simulation to new levels of ruinous disgust. Their antics made many football fans despise Barcelona, which is unforgivable. However, Busquets is the worst of the bunch for the simple reason that he dives far more often and for far more innocuous challenges. In the video, you can see him actually in the process of cheating.
Dele Alli is number eight.
Despite being a relatively young player, Dele Alli has already earned a reputation for diving, which says a lot. So if you think he shouldn't be on this list, give it time and you will probably change your mind. Between 2015 and 2018, he was booked three times for diving (more than any other player). In 2017, he appeared to give the middle finger to a referee while playing for England. Perhaps another contributing factor is that Dele Alli doesn't appear to be living up to his early potential, frustrating fans of his club and country. Ashley Young, 7.
Ashley Young probably signed for Inter Milan in 2020 to escape his reputation in England, and that is because poor Ashley has a lot of trouble staying on his feet. Maybe he has an enduring inner ear infection? More likely, he has a disgusting inclination to cheat whenever the opportunity arises. The stats speak for themselves. Young won 11 penalties in 200 Premier League games before the end of 2012, and he continued to "lose his balance" in later seasons.
There is nothing wrong with winning penalties when you're genuinely fouled, but even his own manager at the time, Alex Ferguson, said he fell dramatically for one of the penalties he won for Manchester United in the 2011–12 season. In the 2013–14 season, he was also warned by David Moyes about his diving. Other managers and pundits have been less careful with their words, blatantly calling him a cheater and diver. He has been booked several times in his career for diving.
Diego Costa is number six.
Diego Costa is known for having a bad temper and lashing out at other players, resulting in several charges for violent conduct, many for stamping on opponents. Costa appears to engage in psychological warfare during games, in which he attempts to create the confrontations he is involved in. Consistent with this, Kurt Zouma (Costa's Chelsea teammate at the time) once admitted in 2015 that Costa likes to cheat. The lack of honor and integrity this involves is probably why he taunted Seamus Coleman about his own goal in 2014 and why, despite his "hard man" image, he simulates being injured when there is only minimal contact.
Sergio Ramos is ranked fifth.
Sergio Ramos has had a long and distinguished career as Real Madrid's most dirty player. At the time of writing this entry, Ramos has 26 red cards and holds the La Liga record. With a couple of years to go before he retires, that number could rise even higher. Ramos is a notoriously hard-tackling defender with a nasty temper and a penchant for kicking and elbowing his opponents. Anything goes, and Ramos will even use his hands to stop the opposition from scoring. This has made him a widely hated player, resulting in tirades of laughter when he happens to balloon a penalty into the stands.
4. Raheem Sterling 4.
At the age of 20, Raheem Sterling was quick to grab the money and ditch the team that made him a star (Liverpool). After initially rejecting the advances of Manchester City, Liverpool were forced into the move when Sterling appeared to fake an illness to get out of training. After the move, he was booed by fans of all stripes.
Sterling also grabbed England teammate Joe Gomez by the neck in 2019 and asked Gomez if he was "still the big man." He later claimed that "emotions got the better of me," but was subsequently dropped from the squad. Given that he is still young, I expect Sterling's emotions will lead to several more incidents like this in the future.
Finally, it's worth mentioning Sterling's diving because, while there are worse actors (or should we say good actors?), he is still up there with the best of them.
Luis Suarez, No. 3
Where do we begin with this wretch? For most fans, Luis Suarez first came to hateful prominence when he hand-balled on the goal line to prevent a certain goal against Uruguay in the 2010 World Cup. With Ajax, he bit an opponent.
After moving to the Premier League, Suarez was repeatedly accused of diving after winning a number of penalties for Liverpool. Then, there was his ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra. Two more "bites" followed, with the Uruguayan vampire biting Branislav Ivanovich in a 2013 match against Chelsea, and Giorgio Chiellini in a 2014 World Cup match against Italy.
2. Ronaldo
Other than his perpetual diving to win fouls and penalties and his tendency to be a petulant whinger, Ronaldo hasn't done a huge amount of wrong. However, three things may have acted to exaggerate his faults, though.
He earned his reputation at Manchester United, so he was always going to draw a huge amount of hatred from the rest of the football world. As a result, football fans despise this preening boy-band look.
He is just a very good football player who will draw fouls from the opposition.
Nevertheless, his diving, particularly in his early days, earned him the reputation he has today, even if he does it less than he used to.
1. Neymar
Neymar is a player who divides opinions, but it is safe to say that many football fans despise him, and not just because he has scored against their teams.
Despite the number of fouls he draws, Neymar has a well-earned reputation for diving, exaggerating contact, and writhing in simulated agony before going on to be completely fine and at the top of his game minutes later.
Neymar's questionable character first became apparent in 2010 when his altercation with popular Santos manager, Dorival Junior, led to the manager being sacked. He has continued to disrespect players, coaches, and referees throughout his career, racking up several red cards. In 2017, after four years with Barcelona, Neymar moved to Paris Saint-Germain, who play in the less competitive French league. The transfer seemed to be motivated more by money than for footballing reasons.
Finally, Neymar's playing style is particularly selfish. He would rather do it all himself than involve his teammates, and sometimes he does, but these decisions can cost his team and frustrate fans.
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