Fifa today voted overwhelmingly in favour of president Sepp Blatter’s ‘six-plus-five’ plan, which would limit the number of foreign players in a team to five.

Football’s world governing body wants to bring in the proposal by 2012/2013 but the European Commission says it is discriminatory and illegal.

Their president Sepp Blatter wants to restrict the number of foreign players in teams by the start in the 2010/11 season, with a minimum of four home-grown players.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick is unconvinced by the strategy and he said: “It’s about balance.

“We still believe in the meritocracy of players in the team on performance and on ability first and foremost.”

The Commission believes a quota on foreign footballers would be incompatible with European Union law which allows workers to move freely between member countries.

“We’re giving a red card to the rule,” said Vladimir Spidla, Europe’s Commissioner for Equal Opportunities.