Berlin, July 7:

Who’s the baddest World Cup team of them all? A software company says Paraguay ranks at the top when it comes to misbehaviour. British office of Information Builders (IBI) tracked a string of alternative statistics, including dives, feigned injuries, referee intimidation, and tantrums, even players who didn’t sing their national anthem.

According to the findings, Italy leads in dives (32), France in tantrums (28), Paraguay in fake injuries (12), and Serbia and Montenegro in players not singing the anthem (31). Croatia, France, Italy and Portugal are tied in bullying the referee incidents with five, although Croatia played only three matches. IBI devised the “IBI Foul Play Index” by awarding points for yellow and red cards, bullying the referee, dives, fake injuries and tantrums. The total is then divided by the number of games played.

Paraguay leads the tournament with an index of 45, followed by Italy (40) and the Netherlands, Ivory Coast and Portugal (37).

France, Italy’s opponent in Sunday’s final, is tied with Germany, Switzerland and Togo for 14th at 26. England, tied with South Korea, is 19th at 23.

Trinidad and Tobago was the best behaved team, with a Foul Play Index of just 14. Next were Brazil, Costa Rica and Sweden (all 15) and the US (16). T&T were nailed for just four dives, three tantrums, two fake injuries and three players not singing the anthem. Angola, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Spain all scored perfect marks in anthem participation.