Official: Male footballers are bigger babies than female ones

It's a familiar sight on top-flight ­football pitches up and down the land – players rolling around like they’ve been shot at the slightest contact.

And it’s usually met with the familiar cry of “get up, you big girl!” from opposition fans.

But women ­footballers are nowhere near as bad at play-acting as their male counterparts, ­scientists claim.

A study found blokes take 30 seconds longer to get up after a foul than women.

And experts reckon stars such as Real Madrid’s Ronaldo – known for spending as much time writhing on the floor in apparent agony as he is for his dazzling skills – play-act more than women because they crave ­attention.

Sports scientist Professor Martin Lames, who conducted the study in Munich, said: “Men’s football generally pulls in more spectators and receives greater media coverage.

“For men, the thought of taking centre-stage is much more pronounced than for women, where the game itself is paramount.”

Fellow researcher Malte Siegle added: “Men also use interruptions tactically. When they are in the lead, players take their time with injuries. Much more so than if the score is even, or when the other side is leading.

“This behaviour is not observed in women’s football.”