The tense game in Berlin's Olympic Stadium on Friday was won on penalties 4-2 by Germany but the on-field celebrations quickly turned sour as players went at each other with kicks and punches.

"I am furious about that and our disciplinary committee will monitor this incident," Blatter told reporters on Saturday.

"We will take some steps towards those who are identified as being the provocateurs of this incident. There was really no need. After 120 minutes football is a drama and then you have to go to penalty kicks and then football becomes a tragedy, but one is the winner and one is the loser.

"What I always say is in football you learn to win, but you also have to learn to lose."

FIFA spokesman Markus Siegler confirmed on Saturday that referee Lubos Michel had shown Argentinean substitute Leonardo Cufre a red card for kicking German defender Per Mertesacker in the melee.

"Disciplinary proceedings against Cufre have been started because he received a direct red card," Siegler told a press conference. "The disciplinary committee will look at videos and will look into the matter."

Rapid investigation ahead of Italy semi-final clash

Siegler added that FIFA "realized that a certain urgency was necessary" in investigating the matter because Germany will play Italy in the semi-final on Tuesday.

Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff, who was in the midst of the free-for-all, said the ugly scenes had been sparked by Cufre's kick. "I saw Per Mertesacker fall to the ground," Bierhoff said.

TV pictures showed Argentinean defender Gabriel Heinze clearly trying to confront Bierhoff, but both men were restrained by players and officials.

"I was just trying to get in between the players," Bierhoff said. "I didn't want any of them to get in trouble and then be suspended."

"It is a pity. The fans in Germany have shown that they can interact in a friendly way, so players and team officials should set an example."

Bierhoff claims peace-keeper role in fracas

FIFA spokesman Siegler said: "As far as we know, Oliver Bierhoff just tried to separate the players and prevent any altercation, but we will investigate."

German midfielder Torsten Frings accused the Argentineans of unsporting behavior. "They gave us a few kicks. Argentina are unfair and can be bad losers," Frings said.