\u201cSunday\u2019s final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager,\u201d says 53-year-old Englishman
\n Berlin
\nGareth Southgate resigned from his role as England manager on Tuesday after yet another heartbreaking final loss at the European Championship, their second straight failure in the title decider of the continental tournament.
\nEngland lost 2-1 to Spain in Sunday\u2019s showpiece in Berlin and the 53-year-old Englishman said after the game that he would discuss his future in charge of the national team.
\n\u201cAs 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,\u201d Southgate said in a statement.
\n\u201cBut it\u2019s time for change and for a new chapter. Sunday\u2019s final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager.
\n\u201cI 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.\u201d
\nBritain\u2019s Prince William, who is also the president of the FA, thanked Southgate for his service.
\n\u201cThank you for creating a team that stands shoulder to shoulder with the world\u2019s finest in 2024,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cThank you for showing humility, compassion, and true leadership under the most intense pressure and scrutiny. And thank you for being an all-round class act.
\n\u201cYou should be incredibly proud of what you\u2019ve achieved.\u201d
\nFrom youth to senior team
\nHaving coached the England youth side for several years, Southgate took the senior job when Sam Allardyce resigned after one match in charge when he sought a lucrative sideline role while talking to undercover reporters.
\nA former international with 57 caps, Southgate took over an England side that had seen its \u201cgolden generation\u201d of players fail to impress at major tournaments.
\nWith a young core of players, Southgate\u2019s England captured the imagination of a country starved of success on the international stage as they became a force to reckon with in tournaments.
\nEngland reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals while their run to the final at Euro 2020 was also remarkable.
\nWith most of their games being played on home soil, the country began to dream of lifting their first trophy since the 1966 World Cup.
\nBut that dream was shattered at Wembley when Italy beat England on penalties while Southgate\u2019s side crashed out of the quarter-finals at World Cup the following year in Qatar.
\nAlthough they reached the Euro 2024 final, the road to Berlin was not easy as England struggled to find the net and topped the group after scoring just two goals.
\nFurious supporters hurled beer cups and insults at Southgate and as his team selection was also questioned, he implored the fans to get behind the squad.
\nAlthough they beat Switzerland on penalties and the Netherlands with a last-gasp goal, getting the better of Spain proved to be a step too far and Southgate was gracious in defeat, saying the Iberian side were deserved champions.
\nKnockout record
\nHowever, Southgate\u2019s record of taking his teams deep into tournaments is unrivalled among England\u2019s other managers.
\nFA CEO Mark Bullingham said England would be \u201cforever grateful\u201d to Southgate and his assistant Steve Holland for everything they had achieved.
\n\u201cIn the 25 tournaments post 1966 before Gareth took charge, we had won seven knockout games,\u201d Bullingham said.
\n\u201cIn his four tournaments we have won nine. So, in his eight years, he has won more games that really matter than in the previous 50 years.
\n\u201cBefore Gareth, our longest time ranked in the top five in the world was seven months. In his tenure we have been ranked there for six years.\u201d
\nBullingham said the search for a successor is under way and the FA have an \u201cinterim solution\u201d in place if they do not find a permanent replacement before their Nations League campaign kicks off in September.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cSunday\u2019s final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager,\u201d says 53-year-old Englishman Berlin Gareth Southgate resigned from his role as England manager on Tuesday after yet another heartbreaking final loss at the European Championship, their second straight failure in the title decider of the continental tournament. England lost 2-1 to Spain […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":418913,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-418896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n