Netherlands, Spain fined for World Cup final behaviour

The Netherlands and Spain have been fined by FIFA for their players' poor discipline in a bad-tempered World Cup final in South Africa.



FIFA says the Dutch federation must pay 15,000 Swiss francs after eight different players received yellow cards, and defender John Heitinga was booked a second time and sent off.



English referee Howard Webb showed five yellow cards to Spain, getting their federation a 10,000 Swiss francs fine.



FIFA's disciplinary code has a clause on team misconduct calling for a federation to be fined when at least five of its players are sanctioned in a match.



Spain won 1-0 in the July 11 final in Johannesburg, on Andres Iniesta's extra-time goal after the Netherlands were reduced to 10 players.

The match set a record for most cards received in a World Cup final, beating the six yellows shown when Argentina beat West Germany 3-2 in the 1986 final.



The final also was the worst behaved of the 64 matches played in South Africa.



Chile and Switzerland players combined for nine yellows and a straight red card in a group-stage game.



FIFA paid Spain $30 million in prize money for winning the tournament, and the Netherlands were awarded $24 million as runner-up.