UEFA President Michel Platini (R) congratulates FIFA President Sepp Blatter after he was re-elected at the 65th FIFA Congress in Zurich, Switzerland, in this May 29, 2015 file photo. [Photo/Agencies]

Power game

In the interview, Blatter said he was a "ball in a big political power game", adding Russia would never lose the 2018 tournament despite calls from some in Britain.

Blatter, who has been president of FIFA since 1998, said politics was behind attacks on him that followed the indictment of 14 soccer officials and sports marketing executives by US prosecutors.

"At the beginning it was only a personal attack. It was Platini against me. He started it, but then it became politics," he said.

"And when it is in politics, it is not any longer Platini against me. It is then those who have lost the World Cup."

Denouncing England as "bad losers" after missing out in the 2018 vote, Blatter said Russia's preparations for the tournament were going well, praising Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I support him in all discussions, in all situations," he said.

Blatter, who said he regretted not standing down as he initially planned in 2014, argued there was "envy and jealousy" of FIFA's commercial success but rejected the suggestion that the current crisis at FIFA was a de facto American takeover.

Blatter said FIFA's Ethics Committee, whose decision over his suspension he is appealing, had bowed to media pressure to remove him. "Unfortunately, Platini was in the same boat," he said.

After 17 years in football's top job, Blatter said he hoped he would be cleared in time to lead FIFA's congress on Feb 26, which will elect a new leader. "This is my dream," he said.