World Cup final referee Howard Webb was slammed by the Holland team for awarding Spain its winning goal and failing to send off Carles Puyol on Sunday in the most ill-disciplined World Cup final in history.

Webb booked 13 players and sent off John Heitinga after showing the Dutch defender a second yellow card in extra time of Spain's 1-0 loss at Soccer City.

But the English official failed to show a second yellow card to Puyol when he appeared to impede Arjen Robben in the 82nd minute, allowing Robben to play on and miss his chance to score.

Instead, Robben saw yellow after furiously chasing after Webb to remonstrate with him.

"He has to send him (Puyol) off and give a free kick. In the end, there is no advantage," Robben said.

"For me, it is very clear: that after such a game when you sit in the dressing room there is only talking about the referee, and I think that's a bad point.

"If you play a World Cup final, you need a world-class referee. I don't know if today was a world-class performance from the referee."

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk said he didn't think Webb controlled the game well.

"I don't look at referees but if I look at the ... chance of Arjen then (Puyol) should have been given a second yellow, too," Van Marwijk said.

The 14 yellow cards, one leading to a red, was a record for a World Cup final, beating the six collected by Argentina and West Germany players in 1986. Eight different Dutchmen were booked, five from Spain.

At the final whistle, Netherlands midfielders Mark van Bommel and Wesley Sneijder headed directly towards the referee.

Robben, who was booked for protesting that he was fouled by Puyol, joined in as defender Joris Mathijsen rushed over to gesticulate angrily at the referee.

All were upset at a decision which indirectly led to Spain's winning goal.

From a Dutch free kick, Sneijder's shot was deflected wide but Webb awarded a goal kick and Spain broke forward to score through Andres Iniesta with four minutes left in extra time.

"We don't have the Cup and that's the reason why we're here," Netherlands goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg said. "You can blame the referee. Everybody outside the stadium can see it was a corner, but he didn't and the assistant also (missed it).

Sneijder agreed that the goal came from a clear incorrect decision.

"First the wall touched it, and after that the goalkeeper touched it, so it was clear corner kick," Sneijder said.

Webb was subjected to more Dutch derision when he went to collect his cup final medal.

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