'I'm tired of the bull****' - Robben slams critics

Robben, one of the tournament's stars so far, has not been too far from controversy having revealed that he purposely went down without contact during the last 16 win over Mexico.

The winger came in for some criticism as a result, although he was not subsequently sanctioned.

Yet Robben has suggested it is time for focus to shift towards some of the tackles he has to deal with, especially during the quarter-final versus Costa Rica - which Holland eventually won on penalties.

He said: "I'm tired of all the bull****. I was rugby-tackled throughout the game."

Despite being frustrated by his treatment, Robben could take solace in the Netherlands' progression to the last four, where they will meet Argentina, following a thrilling contest.

He added: "We deserved the win. They only had one chance in 117 minutes. Football won on the night.

"We're still in it. Our team spirit is what makes this a great team. If we continue like this, we can go far."