- Oct 25, 2006
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Fifa president Sepp Blatter has told the BBC he is ready to challenge the European Union to get a quota on foreign players within European teams.
Blatter made his comments in response to an NOP poll of football fans for BBC1's Football Focus. He wants clubs to be limited to five foreigners in their starting XI to allow homegrown talent to flourish. The proposal contravenes EU law but Blatter says football needs to act and says a reduction "is a good solution".
The 71-year-old Swiss argues that football deserves special treatment because it is not like any other job.
"Workers in Europe can circulate freely but footballers are not workers," he said.
"You cannot consider a footballer like any normal worker because you need 11 to play a match - and they are more artists than workers."
However, Blatter says he is ready to fight any EU move.
"Football has never had the courage to go against this practice," he said.
"When you have 11 foreigners in a team, this is not good for the development of football, for the education of young players, and there is a financial aspect, too."
Blatter made his comments in response to an NOP poll of football fans for BBC1's Football Focus. He wants clubs to be limited to five foreigners in their starting XI to allow homegrown talent to flourish. The proposal contravenes EU law but Blatter says football needs to act and says a reduction "is a good solution".
The 71-year-old Swiss argues that football deserves special treatment because it is not like any other job.
"Workers in Europe can circulate freely but footballers are not workers," he said.
"You cannot consider a footballer like any normal worker because you need 11 to play a match - and they are more artists than workers."
However, Blatter says he is ready to fight any EU move.
"Football has never had the courage to go against this practice," he said.
"When you have 11 foreigners in a team, this is not good for the development of football, for the education of young players, and there is a financial aspect, too."