At the 2014 World Cup, the Robben fake punt controversy resurfaced:
The two sides played to a 1-1 draw for 90 minutes in a tight eighth-quarter final between Mexico and the Netherlands. In the sixth minute of extra time, Robben was brought down by Mexican defender Rafael Marquez in a scramble, and the referee called a foul, which the Netherlands used to earn a penalty kick. Huntelaar hit the penalty, the Netherlands 2-1 shutout of Mexico, advancing to the next round. However, Robben was considered to have used a "fake punt" in the scrum, which triggered widespread controversy and condemnation.
Mexico manager Miguel Herrera spoke publicly after the match, arguing with Portuguese referee Pedro Proenka and accusing this World Cup of injustice against Mexico. Herrera emphasized that Robben deliberately fell three times in four matches to get a penalty, an act that deserved a stern warning. Robben also apologized for his actions after the game and admitted that he had a clear fall, but he also argued that two fouls in the box in the first half did not result in a penalty being awarded to him.
However, Robben revealed in a post-match interview that the extra-time fall was not for a penalty, contradicting his claims in the press conference. This series of events and statements made the Robben fake fall incident at the 2014 World Cup a major point of controversy in soccer history.
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