Rank outsiders Netherlands Belgium bid for the biggest football tournament on the planet ended in the second round losing out to Russia’s propopsal.
In the first round favourites on the day England are reported to have only picked up two votes in the voting, while the joint Netherlands-Belgium bid received four votes with the winner Russia nine, while Spain-Portugal picked up seven.
Consortium leader, Ruud Gullit, (pictured) for the joint Dutch Belgium bid said on learning the news of the failure to win the 2018 tournament, “We had everything to play for, but we didn’t get there, maybe there will be a next time.”
The former international player for Netherlands and a player and manager for several top European club teams refused to comment on any suggestions that there was collusion between FIFA delegate members over votes between the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, which Qatar won.
The English delegation, including Prince William, UK prime minister David Cameron and international football star David Beckham, did not want to make any comments on the fact that recent British media reports highlighting accusations of corruption over possible voting for the prospective candidates had an affect on the outcome of the ballot.
