Fifa chief Sepp Blatter has called England "bad losers" after Russia won the right to host the 2018 World Cup.
Blatter also rejected allegations of corruption at football's governing body after England gained only two out of 22 votes from Fifa's executive committee.
"I was surprised by all the English complaining after the defeat. England, of all people, the motherland of fair play ideas," Blatter said.
"Now some of them are showing themselves to be bad losers."
Blatter told Swiss magazine Weltwoche: "You can't come afterwards and say so and so promised to vote for England. The results are known. The outcome came out clearly."
Roger Burden, acting chairman of the Football Association, withdrew his application for the permanent position last week, saying he could no longer trust Fifa members after the failure of England's bid to host the tournament.
Burden added that England's bid team in Zurich, which included Prime Minister David Cameron and the second in line to the throne, Prince William, were promised votes which had not been delivered by Fifa executive committee members.
Cameron made a jibe at Fifa on Wednesday when he was asked in Parliament what he thought about soccer's governing body after his experience of the bid.
"I certainly learned one thing which is when it comes to breaking promises - politicians have got nothing on football management," he said, laughing.
Blatter, 74, said the reaction of the losing bidders showed some did not understand his drive to expand football's frontiers.
"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," he said.
"What can be wrong if we start football in regions where this sport demonstrates a potential which goes far beyond sport?"
England's bid chief Andy Anson has suggested Blatter influenced committee members before the vote by reminding them of British media stories which alleged corruption against them and led to two being banned.
But Blatter rejected the corruption allegations and said he was being targeted by anti-Fifa journalists.
"There is no systematic corruption in Fifa. That is nonsense," he said. "We are financially clean and clear."
Blatter stated that Fifa could not act as if nothing had happened, adding he wanted to set up a taskforce to look into compliance issues, without giving details.
"We need to improve our image. We also need to clarify some things within Fifa," he said.
Blatter also rejected allegations of corruption at football's governing body after England gained only two out of 22 votes from Fifa's executive committee.
"I was surprised by all the English complaining after the defeat. England, of all people, the motherland of fair play ideas," Blatter said.
"Now some of them are showing themselves to be bad losers."
Blatter told Swiss magazine Weltwoche: "You can't come afterwards and say so and so promised to vote for England. The results are known. The outcome came out clearly."
Roger Burden, acting chairman of the Football Association, withdrew his application for the permanent position last week, saying he could no longer trust Fifa members after the failure of England's bid to host the tournament.
Burden added that England's bid team in Zurich, which included Prime Minister David Cameron and the second in line to the throne, Prince William, were promised votes which had not been delivered by Fifa executive committee members.
Cameron made a jibe at Fifa on Wednesday when he was asked in Parliament what he thought about soccer's governing body after his experience of the bid.
"I certainly learned one thing which is when it comes to breaking promises - politicians have got nothing on football management," he said, laughing.
Blatter, 74, said the reaction of the losing bidders showed some did not understand his drive to expand football's frontiers.
"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," he said.
"What can be wrong if we start football in regions where this sport demonstrates a potential which goes far beyond sport?"
England's bid chief Andy Anson has suggested Blatter influenced committee members before the vote by reminding them of British media stories which alleged corruption against them and led to two being banned.
But Blatter rejected the corruption allegations and said he was being targeted by anti-Fifa journalists.
"There is no systematic corruption in Fifa. That is nonsense," he said. "We are financially clean and clear."
Blatter stated that Fifa could not act as if nothing had happened, adding he wanted to set up a taskforce to look into compliance issues, without giving details.
"We need to improve our image. We also need to clarify some things within Fifa," he said.
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Sepp, you are a moron. Almost all England fans aren't being sore losers: we're congratulating Russia, and hope they hold the tournament well, but we're rightly concerned about the revelations that our media brought to light regarding the alleged corruption. Also, note "There is no systematic corruption in Fifa. That is nonsense". No SYSTEMATIC corruption? So what, there's "casual" corruption?
Please feel free to discu-... please feel free to abuse Blatter.
Please feel free to discu-... please feel free to abuse Blatter.
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