Southgate leaves role as England manager

Gareth Southgate has stepped down from his role as manager of the England men’s side.

Southgate’s decision comes following England’s European Championship final defeat by Spain on Sunday.

After that game, the 53-year-old refused to be drawn on his future with his contract due to expire in December.

“As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England. It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all,” Southgate said in a statement via the FA on Tuesday.

“But it’s time for change, and for a new chapter. Sunday’s final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager.

“I have had the privilege of leading a large group of players in 102 games. Every one of them has been proud to wear the three lions on their shirts, and they have been a credit to their country in so many ways.

“The squad we took to Germany is full of exciting young talent and they can win the trophy we all dream of. I am so proud of them, and I hope we get behind the players and the team at St. George’s Park and the FA who strive every day to improve English football, and understand the power football has to drive positive change.

“I look forward to watching and celebrating as the players go on to create more special memories and to connect and inspire the nation as we know they can.”

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Southgate’s assistant Steve Holland has also left his role.

England reached back-to-back European Championship finals under Southgate but were beaten in both (Jewel Samad/AFP via Getty Images)

Southgate joined the England set-up in 2013 as Under-21 head coach. The former Middlesbrough manager was placed in interim charge of the senior team in September 2016 following Sam Allardyce’s resignation, and his appointment was made permanent two months later.

England’s previous two major tournament showings had seen them beaten in the last 16 of Euro 2016 by Iceland and exit the 2014 World Cup at the group stages, and expectations were measured ahead of the 2018 World Cup, with the Football Association (FA) stressing a long-term plan was in place.

However, Southgate guided England to the semi-finals — the men’s team’s first major tournament semi-final appearance since 1996, and first at a World Cup since 1990. Southgate received significant praise for the much-improved, positive team culture he had shaped.

England beat Colombia on penalties in the last-16 and the victory was considered a particularly poignant one for Southgate after he missed the decisive penalty for England in the semi-finals of Euro 96. The England manager had put in work to change the mindset around penalties and ensure his side were prepared for the eventuality, and in doing so ended a run of five successive major tournament shootout defeats.

(Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

England later suffered a 2-1 extra-time defeat by Croatia in the semi-finals, having beaten Sweden 2-0 in the previous round.

Ahead of Euro 2020, Southgate wrote an open letter to supporters in the Players’ Tribune as the country emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic. He wrote about what it meant to represent England, the culture and identity of the team and expressed the importance of his side talking about issues of equality and racial injustice. The England team took the knee ahead of each Euro 2020 fixture.

Southgate’s side reached the Euro 2020 final — the men’s team’s first major tournament final since 1966. They beat Germany, Ukraine and Denmark in the knockout stages, with the victories against Germany and Denmark taking place at Wembley Stadium.

The final went to penalties after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes. Italy won the shootout 4-3 after Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford missed their respective penalties — the latter two had been brought on by Southgate as 120th-minute substitutes.

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It was anticipated the 2022 World Cup in Qatar could be Southgate’s last in charge of England. He guided the team to the quarter-finals where they were beaten by eventual runners-up France. Captain Harry Kane missed a late penalty in the 2-1 loss and it was later confirmed Southgate would continue as England manager.

England were among a number of nations who had intended to wear a OneLove armband at the tournament, considered a gesture of solidarity with LGBTQI+ people, who are criminalised in Qatar. However, they backtracked after being threatened with sporting sanctions by FIFA. Southgate later accepted members of the LGBTQI+ community felt “let down” by the decision.

Ahead of Euro 2024, Southgate opted not to select Jordan Henderson, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish, players who had previously been regular fixtures in his squad.

The team struggled for performances during the tournament, scoring only two goals in the group stage. They needed a last-minute Jude Bellingham overhead kick to save them from being knocked out by Slovakia in the last 16, with Kane then scoring an extra-time winner.

Southgate’s side then beat Switzerland in a penalty shootout in their quarter-final after a 1-1 draw, before coming from behind to win 2-1 against the Netherlands in the semi-final, with Ollie Watkins coming off the bench to score a last-minute winner.

Sunday’s final saw England go behind shortly after half-time through Nico Williams, with substitute Cole Palmer equalising in the 73rd minute. Spain’s own substitute Mikel Oyarzabal, though, netted the winner with just a few minutes remaining to condemn England to back-to-back defeats in Euros finals.

(Top photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)