England manager Gareth Southgate has announced his resignation, just two days after England's defeat by Spain in the 2024 European Championship. In his statement of resignation given this morning, Southgate said:

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"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. But it’s time for change, and for a new chapter…

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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.

Thank you, England – for everything.”

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Brits gathered at home and abroad to cheer on the Three Lions last Sunday but ultimately the team met their match in Berlin and lost 2-1, after Mikel Oyarzabal's 86th-minute goal claimed Spain's victory. England's defeat was watched by a peak audience of 23.8 million, the highest combined audience for a television broadcast this year. 

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During the championship, many football fanatics and commentators alike criticised both Southgate and the team’s performance, with Gary lineker calling their performance against Denmark ‘sh*t’. Following the defeat some called for Gareth’s resignation and exclaimed the need for a new manager. A statement by one of Southgate’s best friends and Bromley manager Andy Woodman highlighted the extent of the criticism leveled at him, which no doubt affected his resignation:

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'The criticism has been disgusting. When I see the ex-team-mates, pundits and journalists Gareth knows well — and he's given them access to him and the team — suddenly saying things for clickbait or for their own agendas, that's not right…

People forget the national team was previously so detached from the country, it was horrific.’

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Others have highlighted Southgate’s ability to get England to the finals twice in the last few years as a resounding win for the country. Southgate is the only manager other than 1966 World Cup winner Sir Alf Ramsey to lead the England (mens) team into a major tournament final, a feat he achieved twice. During his 8 years in charge, Southgate managed England at four major tournaments, reaching the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and quarter-finals in 2022.

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Despite the resignation, there’s no denying that 53-year-old Southgate has had a remarkable career. The former player began his career with Crystal Palace and went on to play for Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and the England team. He appeared in a total of 500 professional games before his retirement in 2006 at the age of 35. 

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Just as his retirement as a player marked the beginning of his career as a manager, we hope this resignation marks more in store for Southgate’s future. Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham stated that the process to appoint a new manager has begun and added that the FA  “aim to have [a] new manager confirmed as soon as possible".

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