Yeah. It is allowed. The ref allowed it. Just like how you said that it wasn't a dive because the ref didn't call it a dive...even though he was rolling around and shouting like he was about to give birth to a camel after someone tapped his leg.
Danny is right, Ben, De Rossi dived. As Italian supporters, dealing with this is just our burden to bear, and defending it makes the fans look just as silly as the theatrics in the match. For Americans, it's their football being made fun of both at home and abroad. For Argentina, it's people constantly poking them about Maradona. For Brasil, it's being treated like crap by their own fans (throwing bottles at them, tomatoes, etc) For Portugal, it's their supposed constant whining on the pitch. etc, etc, etc. Put on your big girl panties and get over it.
As a Portugal fan, I can say that this is definitely our biggest embarrassment. Most Portuguese fans get pissed when they see a player (CRonaldo mostly) whining to the ref about fouls when it was just a little baby tap. It works to their own disadvantage too because they have earned a reputation for it. And when some fans whine along with the player, other Portuguese fans call them out on it.
Christiano is hysterical, and I love watching his antics (in a good way), because he's so over the top. Absolute gifted footballer, but he's a mess, isn't he? Do some Portugal fans get a kick out of him?
Well, in my experience they don't. Most admire him and are embarrassed when he makes a scene out of nothing. I feel that way...he is one of the greatest footballers to ever have lived...he doesn't need to get a foul called because someone clipped his ankle. He needs to get up and show us what he can do.
Yeah, that's understandable. I suppose I can laugh because I'm not emotionally invested. Like with De Rossi's dive, which embarrassed the hell out of me, but I know a few people where I live who thought it was funny.
It wasn't a dive. Have your friend clip your Achilles at full speed and try to maintain your footing.
I managed to maintain my footing with a hole there after being sliced by sharp metal as I ran around the yard, and I was only nine years old!
Has anyone been able to find a video online of the missed foul 1 minute into the game. I think it was Montolivo who got fouled really hard. Looked like it could have been a straight red but wasn't even called a foul.