England's humiliated footballers have arrived home as Fifa president Sepp Blatter said sorry over the disallowed 'goal' in their knock-out match against Germany.

There were glum faces and few smiles as former captain David Beckham led the team off the plane with Jamie Carragher and Michael Carrick just behind him.

An entourage of players' wives, girlfriends and family followed them on to the tarmac at London's Heathrow Airport as they arrived back on Tuesday..

The players were whisked through a VIP suite without having to pass through one of Heathrow's terminals - or face the waiting press.

The team has faced a hostile reception after the press, pundits and football fans turned on them following their efforts in South Africa.

Later Mr Blatter said he had apologised to the Football Association over Frank Lampard's disallowed 'goal' and revealed the governing body would look again at goal-line technology.

Lampard's effort during England's 4-1 defeat to Germany was ruled out even though the ball clearly crossed the line and has led to renewed calls for the introduction of technology.

Blatter told a media briefing in Johannesburg: "It is obvious that after the experience so far in this World Cup it would be a nonsense to not reopen the file of technology at the business meeting of the International FA Board in July.

"Personally I deplore it when you see evident referee mistakes but it's not the end of a competition or the end of football, this can happen.

"The only thing I can do is yesterday I have spoken to the two federations [England and Mexico] directly concerned by referees mistakes. I have expressed to them apologies and I understand they are not happy and that people are criticising."