Blatter glosses over protests, says FIFA 'stronger'

FIFA president Sepp Blatter looks on during the Confederations Cup semi-final football match between Brazil and Uruguay at the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte June 26, 2013. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter glossed over the nationwide protests which have formed the backdrop to the Confederations Cup in Brazil, saying football had played a "positive part" for the country.

Blatter was confident next year's World Cup, also in Brazil, would be a success and his spokesman Walter De Gregorio cited a poll which said 71 percent of the population still wanted the country to host the 2014 tournament.