17 July,2024 08:15 AM IST | London | AFP
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate resigned as England manager on Tuesday, two days after they lost to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, with Prince William describing him as an "all-round class act".
"It's time for change, and for a new chapter. Sunday's final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager," Southgate said in a statement.
William, who attended the 1-2 defeat to Spain in his role as Football Association president, paid a fulsome tribute to Southgate on social media. "Thank you for showing humility, compassion, and true leadership under the most intense pressure and scrutiny," said the heir to the British throne.
"And thank you for being an all-round class act. You should be incredibly proud of what you've achieved. W."
The names immediately mentioned as 53-year-old Southgate's successor are Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, and two former Chelsea managers, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino. Former international defender Southgate took over in 2016 when England's fortunes were at a low ebb - they had exited the Euros after defeat to Iceland and then Roy Hodgson's successor Sam Allardyce had to resign over a scandal. Southgate, who is also credited for restoring pride to the team as well as turning the players into role models off the pitch, said the job had been a dream of a lifetime for him. "As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England," he said. "It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all."
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Southgate steadily introduced change and led England to three semi-finals and to the last two European Championship finals.
Prior to Southgate, the Three Lions had reached just three major tournament semi-finals and one final in their history, when they won the 1966
World Cup.
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