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Blatter calls England 'bad losers' after World Cup failure

Russia will host World Cup 2018 © Getty Images

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FIFA president Sepp Blatter has launched a blistering attack on England in the wake of their failed bid to host World Cup 2018, branding the country as "bad losers".

England failed spectacularly in the bid to host the tournament - despite having their pre-vote presentation widely praised - after being eliminated at the first round of voting, with just two FIFA members of the executive committee backing them.

In the aftermath of defeat much of the English footballing fraternity has criticised FIFA, with a particular grievance over how some votes, which were thought to be guaranteed, were not delivered.

Now Blatter has hit back by insisting that his organisation is "not corrupt" after they awarded the 2018 tournament to Russia and the 2022 version to Qatar.

"To be honest, I was surprised by all the English complaining after the defeat. England, of all people, the motherland of fair play ideas," Blatter told Weltwoche. "Now some of them are showing themselves to be bad losers. You can't come afterwards and say so and so promised to vote for England. The results are known. The outcome came out clearly.

"I really sense in some reactions a bit of the arrogance of the western world of Christian background. Some simply can't bear it if others get a chance for a change. What can be wrong if we start football in regions where this sport demonstrates a potential which goes far beyond sport?

"There is no systematic corruption in FIFA. That is nonsense. We are financially clean and clear."

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