• Blatter says England trying to 'justify' 2018 bid failure • He tells Swiss newspaper: 'The English have lost power'

The president of Fifa, Sepp Blatter, has said that England are still trying to "justify" their failure to win the right to host the 2018 World Cup.

The Football Association were hopeful of hosting the tournament that it last staged in 1966, but lost out to Russia despite the efforts of the prime minister, David Cameron, Prince William and David Beckham. Since then, the FA has opposed Blatter's re-election as the world governing body's president. He feels there is still some upset lingering.

He was quoted as telling the Swiss newspaper Matin Dimanche: "In the 60s and 70s, the great sporting federations were in the main British. It's no longer the case.

"The English have lost power and, most recently, the 2018 World Cup. They were very keen, more than for the Olympics. They thought that football should have come home. The World Cup was theirs by right. When they came here with Beckham, Prince William and prime minister Cameron, they were certain of winning.

"They got two votes. Since then, they have looked for every means to justify their defeat."