FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke says his organisation does not always feel welcome in England. The world football’s governing body, has been antagonised by the British media’s attempts to uncover corruption in the organisation, while England was hurt by FIFA’s decision to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia.

Valcke appeared to suggest that Fifa did not consider London a suitable venue for the organisation’s events.

Discussing Fifa’s desire to take the awards ceremony away from Zurich, Valcke said: “We’d need to discuss between ourselves whether it’s Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, London – London, I don’t know – Paris, Barcelona, Madrid or other European cities.”

Afterwards, Valcke said that he simply meant that Fifa would prefer to visit countries that have provided Ballon d’Or nominees, but he conceded that relations with England were frosty.

“It was because all the winners and the names on the list come from Spain, so it was to say that it would make sense that if we wanted to recognise that, we could go to Spain,” he said. “Are we not welcome in England? I don’t know. If I read the media every day, it’s true that, personally, my feeling is a bit that – but that’s my own feeling.”

Asked if Fifa were worried about England feeling alienated by Fifa, he responded: “No, it’s fine. It’s the freedom of the world.

“We’re in a democratic world so everyone is free to say whatever they want… They’re still a member of Fifa, no? There is no problem.”

In an interview with Swiss newspaper Le Matin Dimanche published last Sunday, Fifa president Sepp Blatter suggested England’s desire to expose corruption was due to sour grapes over the 2018 World Cup bidding process.