The Netherlands and Spain fined for World Cup final behaviour
Fifa have fined World Cup winners Spain and their opponents the Netherlands for their improper behaviour in the World Cup final last month.
The Dutch FA were fined £9,080 while the Spanish association were fined £6,053.
Referee Howard Webb of England was criticised for the way he handled the final, as he brandished eight yellow cards for the Netherlands, including a red card for John Heitinga, while five Spain players received a yellow card.
Many believe Netherlands’ player Nigel de Jong was lucky to stay on the field after his “kung-fu” challenge on Xabi Alonso, where he put his studs in Alonso’s chest.
The Netherlands adopted anti-football tactics, moving away from the style of total football they are associated with. The new approach resulted in scathing comments worldwide, including from Dutch legend Johan Cruyff. He said: “Sadly, they played very dirty. This ugly, vulgar, hard, hermetic, hardly eye-catching, hardly football style... If with this they got satisfaction, fine, but they lost.”
Spain beat the Netherlands 1-0 after Andrés Iniesta scored the winner in extra-time. The match also set a new disciplinary record, overtaking the six yellow cards shown when Argentina defeated West Germany 3-2 in 1986 in Mexico.
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