Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive John Delaney has confirmed Fifa made a payment to Irish football's governing body, reportedly €5m (£3.7m, $5.6m), after Thierry Henry's infamous handball in the World Cup play-off with France in 2009.

Ireland missed out on the 2010 competition in South Africa in a game that was marred by the controversial incident.

Delaney says the payment came after a personal confrontation with disgraced soon-to-be-ex-Fifa president Sepp Blatter.

Speaking to RTE Radio 1, Delaney said: "We felt we had a legal case against Fifa because of how the World Cup play-off hadn't worked out for us with the Henry handball.

"Also the way Blatter behaved, if you remember on stage, having a snigger and having a laugh at us. That day when I went in, and I told him how I felt about him, there were some expletives used. We came to an agreement.

"That was a Thursday and on Monday the agreement was all signed and all done. It's a very good agreement for the FAI and a very legitimate agreement for the FAI. I'm bound by confidentiality for naming the figure."

Reports in late May speculated over such a payment made to the governing body but at the time, Delaney refused to disclose any details.

But in the interview on 4 June, when asked if €5m was paid, he said: "You've put a figure out there and fair play to you. It was a payment to the association to not proceed with a legal case. In there, they signed a confidentiality agreement where I can't talk about the amount involved.

"You used a figure there, well done to you, but it was a very good and legitimate deal for the FAI."

Ireland and France met in the second leg of their World Cup play-off in November 2009 following a 1-0 defeat for Giovanni Trappatoni's side in the first leg at Croke Park.

Robbie Keane equalised for his side on the night but Henry's clear handball before playing in William Gallas allowed France to seal an aggregate victory.

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