Euro 2024: Gareth Southgate resigns as England head coach

The head coach of England's national men's football team, Gareth Southgate, has resigned following the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.

"It's time for change, and for a new chapter," he said in statement. "Sunday's final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager."

Southgate, 53, took on the job in 2016 and led England to the 2018 World Cup semifinal and two European Championship finals.

"As a proud Englishman, it has been the honor of my life to play for England and to manage England," Southgate said. "It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all."

Sunday's defeat to Spain meant that the English men's team wait for a first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup will extend to 60 years by the time the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada comes around.

Southgate's legacy

But Southgate took the Three Lions closer than any of his predecessors and, in 102 games in charge, is credited with vastly improving the atmosphere in the dressing room and the image of the team among fans.

He has also appeared to banish England's historic penalty shoot-out curse, as the team successfully overcame Colombia on spot-kicks in 2018 and Switzerland this summer. Southgate himself was an unfortunate shoot-out villain as a player back in 1996 when he missed a penalty against Germany.

"I have had the privilege of leading a large group of players in 102 games," he said. "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."

However, despite being hailed for his man-management, Southgate increasingly faced criticism for his tactical acumen at the highest level, with England ultimately falling considerably short against elite opposition in four key games:

In the 2018 World Cup semifinal in Russia, England took the lead against Croatia but went on to lose 2-1 in extra time. Three years later in final of Euro 2020 (postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), England again took the lead against Italy, but sat back and lost on penalties. At the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, England were comfortably beaten by holders and ultimate runners-up France in the quarterfinal.

At this year's European Championship in Germany, England generally played poorly and had a series of individual late goals to thank for scraping past Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands before ultimately being outplayed by Spain, the first truly top team they faced.

Who could replace Gareth Southgate?

The English Football Association (FA) will now begin the search for a new head coach who can guide England through qualification for the 2026 World Cup and into the tournament itself in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

Among the contenders are former Brighton and Chelsea head coach Graham Potter and also legendary German coach Jürgen Klopp, who left Liverpool last season.

mf/rmt (AP, Reuters)