FIFA president Sepp Blatter has given his personal backing to the referee who sent off Wayne Rooney.

Argentinian official Horacio Elizondo red-carded the striker after he stamped on Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho and then pushed Cristiano Ronaldo during England's World Cup quarter-final defeat on Saturday.

Blatter said: "The referee was touching distance from the players and he took the decision according to what he witnessed.

"I can only say that the referee's decision is final and I have not seen any protest from fans or even team-mates on the field of play."

There has been a storm over the behaviour of Rooney's Manchester United team-mate Ronaldo for protesting to the official about the challenge and, although Blatter would not comment about the Portugal winger, he did say there needed to be a crackdown on players who wave imaginary cards at match officials.

Blatter added: "I have no comment to make on the behaviour of Cristiano Ronaldo during this match or in connection with the expulsion of Rooney.

"I was at the match and I have not seen any wrongdoing that has not been sanctioned by the referee.

"I agree that at this World Cup there has been an exuberance of players going towards the referee inviting him to show cards.

"This is a tendency that I did not see at the beginning of the World Cup but have seen in the decisive matches."