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The Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff, not mincing words, stated that the world vice-champions demonstrated "anti-football" in these championships.
Only in the final did the Dutch footballers, defeated by the Spaniards, see 9 yellow cards in crucial matches, and Johnny Heitinga was sent off the field.
"Unfortunately, they played very dirty," Cruyff told "El Periodico". "That ugly, tough, closed style of play, completely unattractive to the eye... If they enjoyed it, great, but they lost."
Cruyff is considered a symbol of "Total Football" - the calling card of the Dutch national team. The "Oranje" have always been known for attacking football, but in South Africa, they demonstrated a much more pragmatic and cautious style than usual.
The legendary player added that both Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong deserved to be sent off the field.
"I am sorry that the Netherlands is choosing such a path to glory," he said. "They asked me if we could stop the Netherlands by playing like how in the Champions League, Milan's Inter eliminated Barcelona. I said no, absolutely not, because I hate that style.
"I thought my country would never do that and would not give up its style of play. I said no, because even without such legendary footballers as before, this team had its style.
"I was wrong. Of course, I don't blame all 11 players, but almost all of them. They didn't want to play with the ball."
