JOHANNESBURG (AFP) — Dutch stars Arjen Robben and Nigel de Jong launched a bitter attack on English referee Howard Webb after Holland had succumbed to Andres Iniesta's injury-time winner in the World Cup final.

Spain lifted their first ever World Cup after a largely forgettable affair in which Holland had John Heitinga dismissed in extra-time for a second booking while seven others were yellow carded in a niggly affair at Soccer City.

And as the Dutch tried to hold out, Iniesta struck to condemn the Netherlands to their third World Cup final defeat in three appearances.

But Robben was incensed when seven minutes from normal time Carles Puyol escaped punishment when he seemed to impede the Dutch flyer as he raced in on Iker Casillas's goal.

Puyol appeared to use his arm to hinder Robben's flow and Casillas came out to block the striker, who had gamely tried to remain on his feet.

“As a player, you always try to keep going, but for them to score a goal (four) minutes before the end was tough. It made things very difficult for us,” said the Bayern Munich star.

“We kept trying to get something out of the game, but the dressing room was a pretty depressing place. We sat there in the dressing room and only talked about some of the refereeing decisions."

"There were a few things which were hard to take, but there is no point talking about them now.”