The Worst Flops and Dives in Sports History in GIFs

Image via Complex Original

Date: 1/1/2007
Player: Lee Young-Pyo

Apparently, Chris Davis of Pompey knew exactly what Pyo of Tottenham was up to when he went down rather easily under the Portsmouth man's challenge. We're not sure whose flop is better. Thoughts?

Date: 1/12/2014
Player: Cam Newton

Did Cam not recognize that San Francisco 49ers defender Ahmad Brooks flew over him and not through him? An offsides penalty is a penalty nonetheless, but maybe the refs should of held that flag for this egregious attempt of acting by the young quarterback.

Date: 5/28/2013
Player: LeBron James, David West

What's the best way to counter a LeBron James flop? By doing a counter flop yourself. Unfortunately, this is only a short term fix; you may get fined like how David West did.

Date: 6/20/2010
Player: Kader Keita

All you need to know is that this pitiful excuse for an elbow actually gained Kaka a red card and a sending off. This took place in a World Cup match no less.

Date: 11/17/2010
Player: LeBron James

Just being LeBron James isn't going to be enough to carry this flopping schtick. He's going to have to lose about 50 pounds to make shit like this believable. He looked like he got snuffed by an invisible arm. Invisible arms aren't covered by the NBA rule book, sadly.

Date: 3/21/2011
Player: Mick Pennisi

It's not the fact that this is an extremely blatant flop, there's a legit chance his nervous system is shot. What else is there to explain the full second delay between getting hit and finally reacting? If a bad nervous system is the case, then it's a miracle he's sill playing basketball.

Date: 2/24/2011
Player: Chris Bosh

We can't imagine how pissed Carlos Boozer must've been at this whole situation. He probably made some of those Bosh memes his damn self. The worst part is how Bosh stays on the floor groveling in pain. Have you no shame, sir?!

Date: 3/20/2013
Player: Chris Paul

The whole point of a flop is to use the opponent's arm movement, slight act of aggression, or what-have-you to make your exaggerated body movement believable enough to draw a call. If your opponent is just slowly walking, it doesn't work at all. You just look like you're in the green room trying to audition for the Monstars vs. Toon Squad game in Space Jam 2. Paul wouldn't even make the blooper reel for this one.

Date: 6/25/2010
Player: Fernando Torres

Considering how tough it's been for Fernando Torres to find the back of the net in recent seasons, we can totally understand if he attempted something like this last year with Chelsea. Doing it in a World Cup match back in 2010, however, is a completely different story. Of course, the Chilean player was sent off for this "trip," as well.

Date
Player: Chris Bosh

You know it's crazy when you see a dude flop and you immediately think, "FINE!" There's not even a question. That confetti must've wanted to beat him up because of this ridiculousness.

Date: 6/26/2010
Player: Jozy Altidore

What, you thought Europeans were the only ones who flopped in a soccer match? Well done, Jozy, you knew you tripped over your own feet, but figured you might as well look for the call at that point.

Date: 4/23/2012
Player: Reggie Evans

This one doesn't make any sense. Like, what was going through Evans' head? He was all like, "All right, time to show these cats what I got. D'AAAWWWWWWW! Yeah, that's right, baby. Let's get that foul!" It didn't work though; Greivis Vasquez got his Flagrant 2 reduced to a personal foul.

Date: 11/27/2011
Player: Jerome Simpson

Everybody in the world knew that was a blatant flop. Well, everybody except the referee, who decided to throw one of the most ridiculous yellow flags in recent history (including the replacement refs era). This means he honestly believed a fully grown 190-pound male could be sent flying with just a touch.

Date: 6/5/2008
Player: Paul Pierce

How can your nickname be "The Truth" and you pull this malarkey? In the first game of the 2008 NBA Finals versus the Lakers, he went down with a "knee injury." Brian Scalabrine, in what was pretty much the only time he was useful, had to help carry Pierce off the court. Pierce was then seen being wheeled off. The true fuckery occurs when he walks back on the court awhile later.

Date: 5/21/2013
Player: Tony Allen

Sadly, Michael B. Jordan's performance in Fruitvale Station may edge Allen out for his performance. He oversold the flop, by like a lot.

Date: 11/3/2010
Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

All we can say is this certainly isn't the first time Ronaldo has flopped like a bad Ben Affleck movie, and it sure as hell won't be the last. A player with such talent really shouldn't get himself involved in such activities.

Date: 4/22/2010
Player: Amar'e Stoudemire

If old-ass Juwan Howard was really gonna run Amar'e Stoudemire over, we'd much rather see him do it in his Hoveround.

Date: 12/6/2005
Player: Norbert Meier (coach)

This shit is gangster as hell! Meier—then the coach of German club MSV Duisburg—got into a heated argument with FC Koln midfielder Albert Streit during a meeting between the two German clubs. Then, out of nowhere, Meier headbutted Streit but fell down in pain, pretending he was the victim, and got Streit ejected from the game. We're guessing it wasn't worth the three-month suspension he received afterwards, though.

Date: 3/15/2007
Player: Greg Paulus

Ayo, G, you want to wait until you actually get hit before you fall back and take a charge. Aren't Duke players supposed to be smart enough to know that?

Date
Player: Shaquille O'Neal

We've got a new nickname for you after seeing this, Diesel: The Big Pus...Oh, sorry. That's not very nice. But after all the bitching and moaning that you did about other players flopping when they played against you, did you really have to go and flop at the first available opportunity? Weak.

Date: 10/28/2007
Player: Patrick Vieira

It's a real travesty to go down when there hasn't been the slightest bit of contact, but it's even more of a travesty when you're wearing the captain's armband. For shame, Patrick Vieira, for shame.

Date: 5/26/2007
Player: Robert Horry

Big Shot Rob was also a Big Fat Flopper. And much like his fellow veteran flop artist Derek Fisher, he wasn't above doing it right out in the open for all to see.

Date: 4/15/2012
Player: Ashley Young

Damn, Ashley, and against your former team no less. This is about as bad as it gets on any field of sport, anywhere. Well done, lad.

Date: 10/7/2012
Player: Gareth Bale

Here's what the soon-to-be most expensive player transfer ever is really worth. Take a bow, Gareth.

Date: 12/26/2008
Player: Andrei Kirilenko

As the analyst here says: "Capital F-L-O-P." We couldn't have said it any better ourselves.

Date: 10/7/2012
Player: Luis Suarez

What's a list of the worst flops and dives in sports without a Luis Suarez appearance? The fiery Uruguayan was at it again here against Stoke City, looking for the penalty in the box. The worst part? Suarez admitted to diving in order to change the course of the game. We want to say we respect the honesty, but we don't.

Date: 5/16/2007
Player: Andrei Kirilenko

The thought of a referee in the NBA actually falling for AK47's foolishness here is ridiculous. No wonder no one caught on to Tim Donaghy's shenanigans until the FBI got involved.

Date: 3/15/2011
Player: Unknown Lacrosse Player

We're not gonna sit here and act like we know all the rules of lacrosse, but we have to believe that diving head first into the goal is not a part of the game. This guy lost.

Date: 4/25/2012
Player: Arjen Robben

Arjen Robben is no stranger to the act of flopping, and in this moment he compounds the embarrassment of missing a wide-open sitter and an attempt to fool the referee into awarding a penalty.

Date: 1/6/2011
Player: Raja Bell and Manu Ginobili

Remember how excited that guy was to see a double rainbow? That's kind of how we feel when we see this double flop. Woooooooooow!

Date: 2/4/2011
Player: Raja Bell and J.R. Smith

This one looks more like a deleted scene from the Matrix, than a play from an NBA game. How does the ref call a foul so quick? We're still trying to figure out why this isn't just a no-call.

Date: 11/23/2009
Player: Oli

You'll be glad to know that flopping isn't exclusive to just regular football matches, it also extends to the beach soccer World Cup. Swiss goalie Nico Jung was actually shocked at how bad this flop was by the Uruguayan, Oli. Don't worry, Nico, we're right there with you.

Date: 10/20/2006
Player: Sean Avery

Avery actually gets hit hard by Jaromir Jagr here. Which is why we're not really sure why he didn't just take a spill when he first got hit. But something tells us that lacrosse player we just mentioned would be proud!

Date: 4/28/2010
Player: Sergio Busquets

What's the lesson learned here, kids? Only flop around on the floor like a fish out of water if the referee is watching. Actors don't put on a performance if there's no audience, right? Sergio Busquets does not work for free!

Date: 6/11/2002
Player: El Hadji Diouf

In '02, Senegal became the second of only three countries from Africa to ever make it to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. Unfortunately, this was the play that they had to use to get there. Tisk, tisk.

Date: 10/30/2007
Player: Baron Davis

Ah, yes. Witness the moment that made BD think, "I need to take my act to Los Angeles next year!"

Date: 6/3/2009
Player: Sidney Crosby

Is it just us or does Sid the Kid look like Ricky from Boyz n the Hood? Talk about dramatic.

Date: 6/6/2002
Player: Rivaldo

So, Rivaldo took a ball to the knee in a 2002 World Cup game against Turkey, but grabbed his face?!? And the worst part is he actually got away with it. Soccer refs don't do refs in general any favors.

Date: 9/15/2010
Player: Derek Jeter

We'd expect this from A-Rod, but you, Captain? Not so much.

Player: Bryan Carrasco
Date: 2/13/2011

If you can't get your opponent to foul you and you don't want to risk getting carded for flopping, you do have another option. Pick up your opponent's hand and force him to hit you. Hey, it worked for this guy playing in an U20 game for Chile. Well, almost.

Date: 11/13/2010
Player: Aaron Tipoti

Faking an injury to slow down an opposing team's offense is frowned upon in college football. And after watching this clip of Cal orchestrating fake injuries to slow down Oregon's fast-paced O last season, we are definitely frowning.

Date: 6/26/2013
Player: Neymar

We get that Brazil vs. Uruguay is a big rivalry, where players want to win at all costs. But shouldn't that dissuade players, especially those of Neymar's ability, from doing shit like this. Dude literally looks like he just took a Mortal Kombat knockout blow.

Date
Player: Philip Rivers

When it comes to quarterbacks that get a bad rap, Philip Rivers is at the top of the list. It's hard to defend the Chargers quarterback when he takes a dive like this one. A soccer player would be proud.

Date: 11/13/2013
Player: Jason Terry

Jason Terry should be forced to retire for this one.

Date: 11/6/2007
Player: Manu Ginobili

Truth be told, we could have a list of the 50 worst Manu Ginobili flops and dives and we'd probably still have plenty left over on the cutting room floor. But this one on Bonzi Wells is just stooooooopid. Like, do the refs even care that he's making them all look like jackasses when he pulls shit like this?

Date: 9/3/1989
Player: Roberto Rojas

There's flopping and then there's this stunt pulled by Rojas. In an attempt to try and help his Chilean team avoid taking an L to Brazil, Rojas pretended to get hit by a firework that was thrown on the field by a Brazilian fan. He writhed around on the field in pain, grabbed his bloody forehead and caused the game to get called. It would have worked, too, except video evidence showed that he didn't actually get hit by the firework and instead pulled a razor blade out from one of his goalie gloves. How fuckin' crazy did this story just get!?

The cut forced officials to call the game. For his efforts, he earned a lifetime ban from FIFA and Chile was banned from two subsequent World Cups.

Date: 2/20/2007
Player: Alberto Gilardino

You can't seriously take a solid three steps after questionable contact before tumbling to the ground, and expect to be awarded a penalty...Unless you're Gilardino, that is.

Date: 9/6/2013
Player: Joel Campbell

At the beginning, it looked like Joel Campbell got away with murder for his ludicrous dive that got opponent Matt Besler suspended for the match with Mexico. The assistant referee made the call, and Mexican match official Marco Antonio Rodríguez agreed, issuing Besler a yellow card. Luckily, Campbell was sanctioned later on for this silly flop.

Date: 1/5/2002
Player: Brett Favre

Fortunately or, rather, unfortunately, this won't be the thing that everyone remembers about the ol' gunslinger. Word to Jenn Sterger.

Date: Trend
Player: Vlade Divac

Vlade is the G.O.A.T. when it comes to flopping. And as if you needed video evidence of it, this clip is a tribute to the best to ever do it. Salute!