2006 Fifa World Cup Squads
Main article: Referee set a new record for the number of red cards issued in a World Cup match with four, and tied the record for yellow cards with 16. FIFA president Sepp Blatter said of Ivanov, 'I consider that today the referee was not at the same level as the participants, the players. There could have been a yellow card for the referee,' although he later recanted, saying, 'I regret what I said about his actions in the match between Portugal and the Netherlands.' The managers also blamed each other for not playing fairly; 's said, 'FIFA talks about fair play. There was no fair play,' [ ] while the ' responded, 'If you talk about fair play, you should watch yourself first.
2006 Fifa World Cup Final Squads
[Portugal was] a bit more experienced with all these tricks and all this time wasting.' Ivanov criticized both teams, reportedly saying, 'They are known for time wasting and hitting from behind. I was unpleasantly surprised by seeing such things from the Dutch. More so, they were the instigators.' In the 7th minute, Portugal's left the match with an injury after being tackled in the thigh. International Herald Tribune writer Rob Hughes wrote that he had not seen 'a more cynical and brutal attempt to kick a player out of a match than what [Boulahrouz] did to [Ronaldo],' and that he should have been red carded on two occasions, but only received a yellow card. Boulahrouz was sent off in the 63rd minute after receiving his second yellow card for an elbow to 's face.