Gareth Southgate has resigned as England manager following the team’s defeat in the Euro 2024 final, marking the end of his nearly eight-year tenure.
In a post on X, the official England account announced: “After 102 games and almost eight years in charge, Gareth Southgate has announced he is to leave his role as manager of the #ThreeLions.
Southgate’s team fought hard in the final against Spain in Berlin, coming from behind to level the match but ultimately being defeated by a late winner. Southgate acknowledged the Spanish team’s superiority, stating, “the best team of the tournament” had won.
Southgate, 53, assumed the role of England manager in autumn 2016. Under his leadership, the Three Lions achieved significant milestones, including reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia—the first time since Bobby Robson in 1990. Notably, they triumphed over Colombia in the round of 16, winning 4-3 on penalties, breaking a streak of penalty shootout defeats in three previous World Cups.
In addition to their World Cup success, Southgate’s England reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and made it to the final of Euro 2020 (held in 2021) at Wembley, where they were narrowly defeated by Italy on penalties.
Following the loss to Spain on Sunday evening, Southgate was non-committal about his future, stating that he needed to have “conversations with important people behind the scenes.” However, he had a “drained demeanour at times in Germany,” according to Sky News sports correspondent Rob Harris, who added that Southgate has been “hurt by the level of scrutiny and scorn” during his tenure.
Southgate’s resignation marks the end of an era for England’s national team, with fans and players alike expressing gratitude for his leadership and the progress made during his time in charge.
