“We all know the situation developing around Mr Blatter right now. I don’t want to go into details but I don’t believe a word about him being involved in corruption personally. I think people like Mr Blatter or the heads of big international sporting federations, or the Olympic Games, deserve special recognition. If there is anyone who deserves the Nobel prize, it’s those people.”

He may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Sepp Blatter has a huge fan in Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin was speaking after the head of football’s scandal-ridden governing body, confirmed that the 2018 World Cup would defenitely be staged in Russia.

An unholy alliance if ever there was one.