No apologies, says disheartened Dutch coach

The Dutch will have to shoulder the blame after one of the roughest World Cup finals on record, won 1-0 by Spain, produced 47 fouls, 14 yellow cards and one red on Sunday.
Van Marwijk said: “It's still our intention to play beautiful football but we were facing very good opponents.”

“We committed fouls but so did both teams and that may be regrettable for a final. It's not our style but then again you play a match to win because it's a final, there's a lot of emotion, you saw that at the end of the match.”

“I would love to have won the match even with not so beautiful football.”
Marwijk admitted Spain were the better team but Netherlands could have snatched victory in the World Cup final on Sunday with just a bit of luck.

"It is very bitter, very sad, but that is sport," said Van Marwijk. "It is harsh but the best team won tonight."

Van Marwijk refused to blame referee Howard Webb for his team's defeat although he did say the Englishman did not have a firm grip on the match.

"I do not think the referee controlled the match well but let me be clear: the best team won," Van Marwijk said.

"Both sides committed fouls and it may be regrettable for a final and it is not our style but you do play a match to win.

Arjen Robben and Nigel de Jong launched a bitter attack on Webb. Robben was incensed when seven minutes from normal time Carles Puyol escaped punishment when he seemed to impede the Dutch flyer as he raced in on Iker Casillas’s goal.

“As a player, you always try to keep going, but for them to score a goal (four) minutes before the end was tough. It made things very difficult for us,” said the Bayern Munich star.

“We kept trying to get something out of the game, but the dressing room was a pretty depressing place.

“We sat there in the dressing room and only talked about some of the refereeing decisions. There were a few things which were hard to take, but there is no point talking about them now.”

De Jong, who was shown only a yellow card when he jumped up, studs showing, and caught Spain’s Xabi Alonso in the chest, said he felt the major calls went the Spaniards’ way.

Just before Spain scored, Holland should have had a corner when a Wesley Sneijder shot was deflected behind.

But a goal-kick was given and Spain went straight up the other end to snatch the winner.