Total thuggery

Yet, rather than vilifying the Rotherham referee, as the defeated Dutch side have done in an undignified manner, critics should, perhaps, consider the match from the perspective of the South Yorkshire police sergeant.

It is not his fault that so many players in football's supposed showpiece game were so cynical with their tackling, attempts to injure opponents – or amateur theatrics as they sought to get their opponents wrongly punished.

This was not the "total football" that Holland, the primary culprits, mastered in the 1970s under the legendary Johan Cruyff. This was "totally thuggery" – and it was only Mr Webb's leniency that prevented the match descending into an even greater farce as Spain's more disciplined football finally, and deservedly, persevered.

If there is a villain, it is not Mr Webb – but Fifa, the sport's governing body, for allowing ill-discipline to get so out of hand that petulant players were able to ruin a global occasion. And, unless they tackle the serial cheats, football will continue to set a lamentable example to the world.