Three and counting, Dutch final pain endures

Johannesburg: Three World Cup finals and the Dutch still have nothing to show for it. After Sunday, in fact, even less — since its reputation as one of the world's most beautiful teams to watch was also tarnished.

One day after the Dutch lost 1-0 to Spain in extra time, television replays across the globe were still showing the ugly fouls that marred the performance of the Netherlands in the final. And the players kept on spitting bile at the referee for their World Cup final futility.

"We have nothing," said midfielder Mark van Bommel after the final ended in acrimony when he and a few others insisted on haranguing referee Howard Webb for a series of perceived injustices.