The Diving Report A Study of Diving at the 2018 and 2019 FIFA World Cups

This report is a study of diving within professional football and the unfair impact it has on the sport. It is the first ever data-driven analysis of the phenomenon in the history of football.Many people would deny an objective analysis is even possible, arguing that all judgements about diving are necessarily subjective and inherently fallible. But this report shows how science can be applied to the challenge of understanding diving behaviour in real life matches and tournaments.We also set out to search for praiseworthy examples of honour and honesty within the game. Fortunately, we have been able to identify players reaching the highest levels of footballing success without diving. We shine a light on them in hope they will inspire a new generation to excel in both sport and life through their skills and strength rather than deception.