KLM
The image was retweeted 10,000 times before it was removed from KLM's official Twitter page. KLM /Twitter

Royal Dutch Airlines, KLM, came under fire for taking a parting shot at Mexico, after the football team suffered a defeat in a World Cup Round of 16 game in Brazil, against Netherlands.

Mexico were 1-0 up 88 minutes into the game, but the Netherlands made a comeback, scoring two goals in quick succession to win the match.

Following the win, a message was posted on KLM's official Twitter account which read: "Adios Amigos! #NEDMEX" accompanied by a picture of a departures sign and a sombrero wearing caricature.

The tweet instantly went viral and provoked angry responses from the public, expressing their outrage at the offensive comment.

"The reason why it's tasteless for airlines to be jingoist about the home team: your customer base is global. Cheer, but don't be crass/mean," wrote Asteris Masouras.

"Leave it to @KLM to be racist & mean about a World Cup game. I am no longer a customer," said another irate fan.

"@KLM are b******s for rubbing their nose in it," said another.

"Dutch arrogance at it's finest. KLM just lost 100% of it's Mexican customers."

"Offensive, politically incorrect and opportunistic. Nice one @KLM. What NOT to do in #socialmedia. #Fail #NEDvsMEX," said an angry member of the public.

Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal was among those to express their outrage at KLM's insensitive and offensive tweet.

".@KLM I'm never flying your sh***y airline again. F**k you big time," Bernal wrote to his 1.9 million followers.

The tweet was removed from KLM's feed following the Twitter backlash, but by then it had already been retweeted nearly 10,000 times.