VOX:

The hand-wringing over these athletic thespians is all too familiar for fans of soccer. It’s now become an infamous part of the game: the anguish. The contortion. The howls of pain. The eye-rolling. It infuriates loyalists and reinforces soccer skeptics. Some Americans frequently cite diving as unfair and unsportsmanlike, and the reason they won’t watch the World Cup. Of course, no one who plays the gentleman’s game openly advocates for such deception, and the rules prohibit this skullduggery. Yet it remains a frequent feature on the pitch.

Despite the (feigned) drama, there is a cold logic behind these actions.

I’m a fair weather soccer fan but am familiar enough with the game to understand why players do it. But the more egregious flops can really take the fun out of watching a game.