Gareth Southgate is stepping down as coach of the England national team. The 53-year-old announced on Tuesday that it was time for a change.
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- Gareth Southgate steps down as England national team coach.
- "It was the honor of a lifetime," the 53-year-old was quoted as saying in a statement from the English Football Association two days after the defeat in the European Championship final against Spain.
- Possible successors include Newcastle coach Eddie Howe, ex-Chelsea coach Graham Potter and England legend Frank Lampard.
England national team coach Gareth Southgate has announced his immediate resignation two days after losing the European Championship final against Spain (1:2). His contract would have been valid until the end of December 2024.
"As a proud Englishman, it has been the honor of a lifetime to play for England and coach England. It has meant everything to me and I have given it my all," Southgate said in a statement released by the English Football Association on Tuesday. "But it's time for change and a new chapter. Sunday's final in Berlin against Spain was my last game as England coach."
The second-place finish will extend the title drought that has plagued English football from 58 to at least 60 years. Southgate's contract ran until the end of the year, but during the tournament the coach came in for some harsh criticism. Immediately after the final in Berlin's Olympic Stadium on Sunday, he refused to give any indication of his personal future.
FA signaled confidence before final match
Before the match against Spain and regardless of the outcome of the final, the English Football Association (FA) had signaled its intention to continue working with the former defender until the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. The tournament record of Southgate, who has been in office since September 2016, is extremely successful. In addition to reaching the final in Germany, he also reached the European Championship final in 2021, the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and the World Cup quarter-finals in 2022. Only World Cup-winning coach Alf Ramsey was more successful with the Three Lions.
Southgate did not extend his contract before the European Championships. Public criticism of him, including from many ex-professionals, had grown in recent years - and this tournament was no exception. The fans threw mugs at the coach, while the domestic experts and media were fiercely critical at the beginning. The group stage had been extremely bumpy for England, who had entered the tournament with numerous top players. The mood only changed after a convincing 2:1 win over the Netherlands in the semi-final.
The candidates for the coaching post
Eddie Howe of Newcastle United, former Chelsea coach Graham Potter and former world-class player Frank Lampard are considered candidates to succeed Southgate. Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino has also been mentioned several times. Former international Gary Lineker brought Jürgen Klopp into the discussion, who is taking a break from coaching after nine years at Liverpool FC.