The Prime minister has called for a crackdown on "bad behaviour" in football after an attack on a Devon referee was raised in the House of Commons by Devon MP Mel Stride.
The Central Devon MP told Parliament how his constituent Donald Distin was "seriously assaulted" by a player during an amateur match last month.
In response, the Prime Minister said more should be done to promote respect in the game and "all forms of bad behaviour" should be discouraged.
The incident happened during a game between Torre FC and Ashburton FC Reserves in Division Six of the South Devon League.
Mr Distin, a former mayor of Ashburton, was taken to Torbay Hospital with facial injuries. The match was abandoned and police were called to the ground. Torre later withdrew from the league.
Mr Cameron told the Commons during Prime Minister's Questions: "Referees should have the full protection of the law to ensure community football is safe and enjoyable.
"I pay tribute to the FA for all the work that they've done in terms of training but also explaining the importance of respect and good behaviour in our game," he continued on the eve of World Cup 2014, which kicks off today at 9pm when host nation and pre-tournament favourite Brazil faces Croatia in Sao Paulo.
"But we need more of that in the years to come," said the Prime Minister.
Mr Stride, Conservative MP for Central Devon, had told Mr Cameron he wanted to raise one of the "darker aspects of the beautiful game", explaining: "Recently my constituent Donald Distin was seriously assaulted while refereeing a local football game by one of the players on the field.
"He was very seriously injured.
"Can I therefore ask you what steps the Government is taking to ensure that violence, whether it occurs on the field or off the field, is treated with equal seriousness and is never tolerated?"
