Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk believes English referees are to blame for the scourge of broken legs affecting European soccer and slammed Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong for the tackle that left U.S. Stuart Holden with a broken leg last Wednesday during the Netherlands' 2-1 win.

"Nigel plays in England and that is the league where referees allow players to do so much more," Van Marwijk said:"A foul like that the one Nigel committed on Holden can cost us the World Cup. As soon as the game was over, I got hold of him and I told him straight. Maybe he thought this foul was not even as bad as the ones in previous games, but he really must get this out of is system."

Holden, who recently joined England's Bolton from the Houston Dynamo, suffered a fractured fibula in his right leg that is expected to sideline him six weeks.