World Cup: Howard Webb did the best he could

The European Champions Spain have become the World Champions for the first time in their first final-and deserved it. They were the better side with better players.

Holland did well to reach the final and had a physical and fouling game plan to stop the Spanish. Arjen Robben still had two great chances to win it for the Dutch. But they finished up with seven yellow cards and Johnny Heitinga being sent off for two yellows. I warned pre-match that Van Bommel may have been sent off. He was lucky that did not happen in the first half.

English referee Howard Webb came in for some stick afterwards but it was a difficult match and his 12 yellows and one red were justified. He did try and make it a match but the Dutch players did not allow it, nor did the Spanish defenders marking Robben.

The only goal that seperated the two teams was scored four minutes from the end of extra time by Andres Iniesta, the match’s best player and for me the best player at the World Cup. So how come the football writers gave the Golden Ball for the best player to Uruguay’s Diego Forlan?

This was a World Cup full of surprises when many of the big names failed to perform.There were many disappointing games. But in the end the best team won.

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• Patmike

  Yes right on about Iniesta. In all the fuss about the violent play and poor refereeing we have overlooked what a great game he had. He was the only player to show genius at this world cup

• http://twitter.com/JamesGoyder James Goyder

  Not only did Webb do the best he could he also, in my opinion, did better than any other world cup referee would have done. In a final which was punctuated by constant fouls a firm presence was required and Webb provided it.

  He penalized players when necessary and, unusually in this World Cup, was wise to the nefarious tactics of the play acting, card waving players of both teams.

  I find it astonishing that Webb has come in for so much criticism. Perhaps people feel referees should not make their presence felt in a football match but the antics of the players forced Webb to stamp his presence on this particular game.