“If Wayne Rooney dived in the world cup final and was awarded a penalty that led directly to England winning the world, would he be targeted and denigrated by the press and fans the next day, just like Eduardo was after the Celtic game? Arsene Wenger doesn’t think so, and I think he’s right. In a recent interview, Wenger said: “England are in the World Cup and if Rooney does that [Dives] in the last minute of the game and England win the World Cup, do you really think Rooney will be slaughtered the next day?” No, he wouldn’t be. In fact, the whole issue would be glossed over/rationalised in some way and Rooney would, in all probability, be lionised as a hero. The evidence for this is how the press has treated British divers and cheats in the past. There have been countless examples of players like Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole diving in the past but the Xenophobic press has never made a big deal out it. Contrast that with the recent and demonisation of Eduardo and the treatment of other players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba, and you will see a definite disparity in fairness, which definitely comes from nationalistic bias. Gerrard and Rooney have even been booked for diving (!) yet the press still keeps quiet about it and/or tries to rationalise/justify it. And it’s not only the press; fans are complicit in this too, with an increasing number of ‘fans’ happy to accept cheating if it gains their team an advantage. I wouldn’t put it past top players to dive in a world cup final with cynical intention of winning a penalty. In the 1990 final, Rudi Voller arguably dived to win the penalty that won Germany the World Cup. In the same game, Jurgen Klinnsman’s disgraceful dive and play-acting were responsible for Pedro Monzon being sent off. But England players would never do such things, would they? Of course not - according to John Terry they’re far too honest! ”