[De Volkskrant / EPA]

The Dutch lost the 1974 World Cup Final on hubris. They lost the 1978 World Cup Final by the width of a post. One could say that yesterday they lost the 2010 World Cup Final by the width of a boot – Casillas’ boot, when Arjen Robben was clean through and failed to chip it over the Spanish goalkeeper. That would have changed the whole match – The Netherlands 1-0 up in the first half. But beyond that, they were lucky to end up still having 10 men on the pitch after 120 minutes, with van Bommel scything his way through the Spanish midfield and de Jong lucky not to be sent down for GBH for studding Alonso in the chest – how he got away with a yellow is beyond me.

Once the dust has settled, The Holland Bureau will turn the World Cup page into a Sports Desk after the summer. Until then, thanks for reading, and see you soon.