In no other sport apart from football does showboating, the act of flaunting one's skills, become a part of the narrative. The scope is limited with Cricket, Hockey or Rugby. However, if one is as skilled as 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer, there is a chance of vowing fans and opponents with an ingenious piece of skill to combat a pressure situation.
Even there, the Swiss maestro executed the trick – returning via the tiniest of gaps between his legs – with an intent of winning a point. In football, even after scratching one's head, there are very few moments where showboating helped the player and his team's cause – these days, skills are used merely for teasing and humiliating opponents while running down the clock when a team is in the lead.
The rabona, seal dribble, the rainbow, 360 degrees – these are mere names whose calling is probably the futsal arena or the training ground. In recent times, only yesteryear Brazilian star Ronaldinho has come close to purposefully using his skills on a football field. His jaw-dropping goal against Chelsea in the Champions League [Refer video] in 2005 is a case in point.
As for the rest, they have to deal with the elbowing and shoving from incensed defenders. Despite attackers being well protected by referees these days, not everything that happens on the field is seen by the naked eye, as Neymar found out recently.