None other than Argentina captain Lionel Messi had lashed out at referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz after Argentina's match with Netherlands on Friday.
The referee failed to do his job properly in a very important match and urged FIFA to take action, Messi said.
"I think FIFA must take care of this. It cannot put a referee like that for a match of such magnitude, of such importance. The referee cannot fail to be up to the task," Messi was quoted as saying by reports.
Meanwhile, former England striker and current sports broadcaster, Gary Lineker also blasted the World Cup referee for making "Mike Dean seem shy" due to his card-happy antics during the clash between Argentina and Netherlands.
Reacting to Lahoz's performance prior to him dishing out his final bookings of the evening, Lineker compared the referee to Premier League official Dean, who became known for his outlandish behaviour and the number of cards he brandished throughout his career.
"13 yellow cards. This referee has always loved to be the centre of attention," Lineker tweeted. "Makes Mike Dean seem shy."
During the 120 minutes of playing time, Lahoz called up 48 fouls and gave out the majority of his yellows, including to people on the bench, with a further two - to Netherlands duo Noa Lang and Dumfries - being given during the shootout, including one before the final kick was taken, a Daily Mirror report said.