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FIFA president Sepp Blatter has claimed the dominance of English clubs in the Champions League proves a quota system to limit the number of foreign players is needed.
For the last two seasons, there have been three Barclays Premier League sides in the last-four of Europe's elite club competition and Blatter fears a monopolisation of football, with the richest clubs buying up the best players from all over the world at the expense of domestic talent.
He is to seek a mandate from the FIFA Congress later this month to begin talks with the European Union and football's authorities over implementing a 'six-plus-five', rule where a maximum of five players in a starting XI can be foreign.
FIFA will also look to extend the residency period to five years before a player can represent another country - in some countries the period is currently as short as two years.
Blatter told a conference call: "Shall we let the rich become richer and say nothing?
"The big money is coming out of the Champions League - it's the biggest league in the world and practically 80% of the income goes to the directly to the 32 participating clubs.
"This season, there were four English teams in the last eight, three in the semi-finals and two in the final.
"The Champions League has been very successful financially but it has also favoured national inequality. That's why, being in charge of football, I have to bring this item to the attention of the Congress.
"This is the sporting situation but let us start with our idea of the six-plus-five rule and then we will see what the difference will be in the future.
"This rule will be fighting against the monopolies of clubs and leagues.
"But we are not fighting the problem of money but for the identity of national teams."
Blatter claimed his plan for the six-plus-five rule would not contravene EU labour law because it did not limit the number of foreign players a club could take on - just the number that start a match. Both the EU and UEFA dispute that however.
The FIFA president said he would aim to have a minimum of four domestic players by 2010, five by 2011 and up to six in 2012.
In terms of the residency period, Blatter has become alarmed by the number of players - especially from Brazil - taking on foreign citizenship and then appearing for their new countries.
Arsenal striker Eduardo, who plays for Croatia, is one example.
Blatter added: "After only a two-year period, a player can receive nationality from another country and there is a danger that in 2014 half the players in the World Cup could come from Brazil!
"That's why the executive committee will propose to the Congress that only after five years being resident that a player can become a 'football citizen'."
For the last two seasons, there have been three Barclays Premier League sides in the last-four of Europe's elite club competition and Blatter fears a monopolisation of football, with the richest clubs buying up the best players from all over the world at the expense of domestic talent.
He is to seek a mandate from the FIFA Congress later this month to begin talks with the European Union and football's authorities over implementing a 'six-plus-five', rule where a maximum of five players in a starting XI can be foreign.
FIFA will also look to extend the residency period to five years before a player can represent another country - in some countries the period is currently as short as two years.
Blatter told a conference call: "Shall we let the rich become richer and say nothing?
"The big money is coming out of the Champions League - it's the biggest league in the world and practically 80% of the income goes to the directly to the 32 participating clubs.
"This season, there were four English teams in the last eight, three in the semi-finals and two in the final.
"The Champions League has been very successful financially but it has also favoured national inequality. That's why, being in charge of football, I have to bring this item to the attention of the Congress.
"This is the sporting situation but let us start with our idea of the six-plus-five rule and then we will see what the difference will be in the future.
"This rule will be fighting against the monopolies of clubs and leagues.
"But we are not fighting the problem of money but for the identity of national teams."
Blatter claimed his plan for the six-plus-five rule would not contravene EU labour law because it did not limit the number of foreign players a club could take on - just the number that start a match. Both the EU and UEFA dispute that however.
The FIFA president said he would aim to have a minimum of four domestic players by 2010, five by 2011 and up to six in 2012.
In terms of the residency period, Blatter has become alarmed by the number of players - especially from Brazil - taking on foreign citizenship and then appearing for their new countries.
Arsenal striker Eduardo, who plays for Croatia, is one example.
Blatter added: "After only a two-year period, a player can receive nationality from another country and there is a danger that in 2014 half the players in the World Cup could come from Brazil!
"That's why the executive committee will propose to the Congress that only after five years being resident that a player can become a 'football citizen'."
