So, the cheating, diving Portuguese are out of the World Cup - fantastic!

I'm not just saying this because of sour grapes over England's defeat, I'm saying it because Portugal's behaviour throughout the tournament has been disgraceful and has been bad for the game of football.

If they had got into the final and subsequently won the World Cup, it would have been a travesty. They deserve to go out for the negative effect they have had on the tournament - my only gripe is they did not go out in humiliation earlier on.

Diving, cheating, simulation, whatever you want to call it, goes on all the time in the modern game and it's disgusting. Everyone can see it going on yet Fifa seems incapable or unwilling to do anything about it despite a supposed clampdown in this tournament which has been non-existent.

Despite cheating (my preferred name for it) being so widespread, Portugal do seem to have been more prolific at it than any other team.

Players rolling around as if they've been shot, others taking a tumble over thin air - and obviously the obligatory waving of the imaginary red card in the referee's face to entice him to take action against the sinner.

Referees cannot be blamed for being conned during a fast-moving game and not issuing cards when they should be dealt out. Which is why post-match punishments are the way forward. If a player is found to have cheated, give him a retrospective red card or dock his team a couple of points - it's the only way this menace to football will be wiped out.

It was wonderful to see Portugal lose last night after the harm they've done to the beautiful game over the past couple of weeks.

It was poetic justice that it should be Ricardo Carvalho - the man who blatantly over-reatced to Wayne Rooney's stamp' against England - should give away the decisive penalty. And what satisfying scenes at the end to see Cristiano Ronaldo in tears and Big Phil' so upset.

Definitely my highlight of the World Cup.

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