Despite his sqeaky-clean image, Lionel Messi has been involved in plenty of controversy
#4: Accusations of diving
Ad
Accusations of diving have dogged Messi’s career for years
Ad
Trending
Diving, flopping, simulation. Call it what you will but it’s now an accepted part of football, however disgraceful it might be. Contrary to popular belief it’s been around since the 1970’s – Francis Lee was renowned for it – but it’s now more common than ever before.
It may come as a surprise to some people that Lionel Messi, the stereotypical good guy, has been accused of diving at times throughout his career. Maybe not as much as someone like Ronaldo, or Didier Drogba, but he’s still certainly been involved in some controversial moments.
Ad
Take the time he went down against Real Sociedad in 2011 for instance – he went down as if he’d been shot by a sniper, but thankfully the referee spotted it and showed him a yellow card. Or against Osasuna in 2016, the incident that saw him hit the deck before realising the referee had spotted the con. That time he outright came clean and avoided the booking.
Compilation videos of Messi’s dives litter Youtube and they’re not that difficult to find. While he’s not as practiced in his Tom Daley impressions as some of his contemporaries, there can be no denying that Lionel Messi is capable of diving with the best of them.
×
Feedback
Why did you not like this content?
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
About the author
Scott Newman
Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.
Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.
Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.
His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.
Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.
Trending
