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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/football_focus/7028310.stm
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.
Click here for full results of Football Focus Survey
"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."
BBC Sport report into football's 'foreign invasion'
BBC Sport revealed last month just how much the number of foreigners plying their trade in the Premier League had increased since 1992 and the Football Association has already expressed its concern over the impact that has had on home-grown players.
Now Football Focus has shown that fans have concerns, too.
When asked if there should be a quota of foreign players per club in the English Premier League, 56% of the 1055 people surveyed said they were in favour.
The EU has recently unveiled plans to impose more regulations on football and says the sport should only have limited immunity from rules governing employment.
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."
The Football Focus survey also asked for opinions on several other important issues, notably:
78% said too much money is spoiling the game
85% said match tickets are too expensive
And 63% want the introduction of video technology
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.
Click here for full results of Football Focus Survey
"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."
BBC Sport report into football's 'foreign invasion'
BBC Sport revealed last month just how much the number of foreigners plying their trade in the Premier League had increased since 1992 and the Football Association has already expressed its concern over the impact that has had on home-grown players.
Now Football Focus has shown that fans have concerns, too.
When asked if there should be a quota of foreign players per club in the English Premier League, 56% of the 1055 people surveyed said they were in favour.
The EU has recently unveiled plans to impose more regulations on football and says the sport should only have limited immunity from rules governing employment.
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."
The Football Focus survey also asked for opinions on several other important issues, notably:
78% said too much money is spoiling the game
85% said match tickets are too expensive
And 63% want the introduction of video technology
