Spain, Netherlands Fined over World Cup Final

Giovanni Van Bronckhorst and Dirk Kuyt of the Netherlands challange Pedro Rodriguez of Spain during the World Cup 2010 final match. Photo by BGNES.

World Cup 2010 champions Spain and runner-up Netherlands were fined by FIFA for their hardball game at the tournament's final on July 11 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The game ended 1:0 after overtime, and registered a staggering record of 14 yellow card. The previous high of yellow cards in a world cup final was a mere 6 in the match between Argentina and Germany in 1986.

Spain, which got 5 yellow cards, was fined CHF 10 000, while the Netherlands got a more hefty CHF 15 000 fine for their 9 warnings. Netherlands's John Heitinga was decorated yellow twice and expelled from the game.

The final match was marred by 47 fouls, 28 from the Netherlands and 19 from Spain.

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