The flopping is a killer for me. Players like Neymar are disgusting to me. Flopping should not be 'part of the game', it's dishonest and entirely dishonorable.

If the World Cup was a (pinball) game designed in the US, the next software patch would include the following -

* Modify free penalty kicks to reduce flopping and corruption

- if a grown man is writhing around like his leg has been decapitated (>30 secs), he will be substituted for remainder of game.

- change penalty kicks and make the shots more difficult (less automatic)
- free goals have too much impact for such a low scoring game, too great an incentive for flopping
- refs have too much power over outcome, encouraging corruption
- players who commit fouls may be moved to a penalty box for 5, 8, or 12 mins depending on class of foul (i.e. hockey)

There! Soccer improved and now capable of being embraced in the USA as well.

Insufficient penalties apparently, it still happens with 100x more regularity than any other sport played by men.

Cultures are different, I get it, but players like Neymar are hard for me to watch without feeling angry and disgusted.

The refs have called a good game in this Russia v Croatia match. While there have been several attempts at dives, the refs have ignored it. None of the players have faked injuries as well. Yay!

I do hate the players but I also ignore the game as long as flops, fake injuries, and refs dictate the outcome of (too many) games. The world cup is better this year but the fundamental aspect of penalty shots is broken. The rules aren't holy. Other sports have figured it out and have better balance. They should just fix it.