<p>Dutch striker Arjen Robben has apologised for diving in a bid to get a penalty against Mexico but insisted he did not fake the foul that led to his side’s winning penalty kick.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Mexico’s coach Miguel Herrera launched a furious attack on match referee Pedro Proenca for giving the injury time penalty that Jan-Klaas Huntelaar hit home to seal a 2-1 comeback victory.<br /><br />Robben was at the centre of both incidents in the World Cup last-16 clash in Fortaleza.<br /><br />“I really have to say and at the same time apologise in the first half I took a dive and I really shouldn’t do that,” Robben told Dutch broadcaster NOS as he celebrated the victory.<br /><br />“That was a stupid, stupid thing to do but sometimes you’re expecting to be struck and then they pull their leg away at the last minute.”<br /><br />But the Dutch striker insisted Proenca was right to point to the penalty spot after he was challenged by Mexico’s veteran captain Rafael Marquez. “I was fouled,” he said.<br />The Dutch FA (KNVB) issued a statement on Monday seeking to clarify the media interpretation of Robben's quotes.<br /><br />Several media reports had erroneously reported that Robben admitted diving for the penalty that led to the victory.<br /><br />"In reality Robben apologised for trying to win a penalty in the first half when he went down too early," said the statement, reported by NOS television.<br /><br />"That was a stupid action," said Robben. "I want to say sorry. It was really dumb."<br /><br />In the news release, Robben is quoted as saying the decision to award a penalty at the end of the game, when he went down under a challenge from Mexico captain Rafael Marquez, was correct.</p>
<p>Dutch striker Arjen Robben has apologised for diving in a bid to get a penalty against Mexico but insisted he did not fake the foul that led to his side’s winning penalty kick.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Mexico’s coach Miguel Herrera launched a furious attack on match referee Pedro Proenca for giving the injury time penalty that Jan-Klaas Huntelaar hit home to seal a 2-1 comeback victory.<br /><br />Robben was at the centre of both incidents in the World Cup last-16 clash in Fortaleza.<br /><br />“I really have to say and at the same time apologise in the first half I took a dive and I really shouldn’t do that,” Robben told Dutch broadcaster NOS as he celebrated the victory.<br /><br />“That was a stupid, stupid thing to do but sometimes you’re expecting to be struck and then they pull their leg away at the last minute.”<br /><br />But the Dutch striker insisted Proenca was right to point to the penalty spot after he was challenged by Mexico’s veteran captain Rafael Marquez. “I was fouled,” he said.<br />The Dutch FA (KNVB) issued a statement on Monday seeking to clarify the media interpretation of Robben's quotes.<br /><br />Several media reports had erroneously reported that Robben admitted diving for the penalty that led to the victory.<br /><br />"In reality Robben apologised for trying to win a penalty in the first half when he went down too early," said the statement, reported by NOS television.<br /><br />"That was a stupid action," said Robben. "I want to say sorry. It was really dumb."<br /><br />In the news release, Robben is quoted as saying the decision to award a penalty at the end of the game, when he went down under a challenge from Mexico captain Rafael Marquez, was correct.</p>