English referee Howard Webb has opened up once more about Nigel de Jong's outrageous tackle on Xabi Alonso during the 2010 World Cup final. The majority of the crowd that packed into Soccer City in Johannesburg were mystified when Webb only showed a yellow card following the Dutch midfielder's kung-fu kick on Alonso in the 28th minute.
Webb has revealed that, at half-time, he received a text from a friend, who works as a police officer and informed him that De Jong's challenge could have landed him in court. “I still thought I got it right on the pitch”, Webb told BT Sport. “So I get back into the dressing room and my assistant referee has gone to his pocket and got his phone out, and his face dropped. I said "what's wrong?" and he said "De Jong should have been red carded; the guy from the referee headquarters saying he should have been red carded". I went "you're joking?" I got my phone out, a mate of mine in the police said "Howard, it's not a red card, it's an arrestable offence!" Webb went on to issue 14 yellow cards during the ill-tempered affair with Netherlands defender Heitinga sent-off during extra time. Andres Iniesta's strike deep into extra time secured the trophy for an all-star Spanish outfit.
Source: Daily Mail