Footballers are highly competitive and will do everything in their power to ensure their team ends up on the winning side.
Unfortunately, this desire to win leads to many footballers bending the rules and trying to con the officials, with some players resorting to 'diving', which involves players falling to the ground after little or no contact in an attempt to win a free-kick or penalty.
Diving, also known as simulation, has become more and more prevalent in recent years. Leagues around the world have tried to crack down on the problem, with those found guilty given yellow cards, while some leagues even enforce retrospective bans or fines.
The introduction of VAR has done little to stop the issue, with players still adamant they can successfully con officials even with replays.
Transfermarkt have now listed the 10 players that have been booked the most times for simulation. Some big names feature, including one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
List includes top 10 leagues + all competitions.
Booked Six Times For Diving
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all-time, but he does have his flaws. The legendary forward, who has starred for the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus in his career, has been booked 122 times in his career, with six being issues for dives.
Pedro and Alexis Sanchez both played a part in Barcelona's success in the 2010s. Like Ronaldo, they have received six yellow cards for diving in their career. Pedro, now 38, plays for Lazio while Sanchez is still going strong at Sevilla.
Diego also picked up six yellow cards for simulation in his career. The Brazilian, who was capped 34 times by his country, played for the likes of Werder Bremen, Juventus and VfL Wolfsburg before retiring from football in 2022.
Booked Six Times For Diving
Player
Cristiano Ronaldo
Diego
Alexis Sanchez
Pedro
Booked Seven Times For Diving
Sergio Aguero of Argentina.
Dries Mertens was a tricky winger in his heyday. The former PSV and Napoli star, who played over 100 games for Belgium, was punished for diving on seven occasions. That's the same amount as Sergio Aguero, who hung up his boots in 2021 after heart issues.
Keita Balde has only picked up 41 yellow cards in his career, but seven of those have been for diving. Former Spanish footballer Carlos Aranda has an even more impressive ratio. The journeyman, who played for the likes of Albacete and Numancia, picked up 38 yellow cards in his career, with seven of those being for simulation.
Booked Seven Times For Diving
Player
Dries Mertens
Sergio Aguero
Keita Baldé
Carlos Aranda
Booked Nine Times For Diving
Luis Suarez
Diego Costa was a menace across his football career. The forward was a physical striker who enjoyed throwing his weight about, but he also enjoyed throwing himself to the ground in an attempt to deceive officials. Nine of his 115 yellow cards in his career came from diving.
The only player in football history that has been booked for diving the same amount of times as Costa is Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan was much less physical than Costa, but he enjoyed winding up opposition players just as much.
The former Liverpool and Barcelona star has picked up an impressive 152 yellow cards in his career. Now 39 years old, Suarez is not the player he once was but is still performing at a decent level alongside Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.
Booked Nine Times For Diving
Player
Luis Suarez
Diego Costa