New Delhi: Gareth Southgate has stepped down as English manager after the English national football team lost its second consecutive Euro final, this time to Spain. Southgate has been under scrutiny for his strategies and the team’s below-par performance in the recently concluded Euro 2024.
The football world soon started reacting to Southgate’s decision. Jordan Pickford who made his international debut under Southgate in 2017 reacted to the news on his Instagram story said he was ‘gutted’ by the decision. Pickford has been an integral part of the team in front of the goal in all four major tournaments during the manager’s tenure and has congratulated his former ‘boss’ and wished him success for his next venture.
Declan Rice, who played every game under the 53-year-old manager, thanked Southgate for the lifelong “memories”. The Arsenal midfielder in his Instagram post for the former English coach, said, “Thank you Gaffer. It’s been a privilege to play for England under your guidance,”
Experts around the world took to Twitter, with Gary Neville leading the wishes for the for the English boss.
Thank you Gareth you did a great Job 🏴
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) July 16, 2024
Wishing Gareth Southgate all the very best in the future. He brought pride, respect and a togetherness to @England that we hadn’t seen for a long time. He was close, very close to footballing immmortality and he always did the job with humility, decency and dignity. Thank you,…
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) July 16, 2024
The Prince and Princess of Wale’s official X account made a statement, thanking the English coach for making the team a united force during his tenure.
Gareth, I want to thank you – not as the President of the @FA, but as an @England fan.
Thank you for creating a team that stands shoulder to shoulder with the world’s finest in 2024. Thank you for showing humility, compassion, and true leadership under the most intense pressure… pic.twitter.com/Fq2ytO4em6
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) July 16, 2024
English football star Jude Bellingham also paid tribute on Instagram, calling Southgate an ‘unbelievable human being’ and expressing his pleasure about being led by someone like him.
Former English footballer Alan Smith reacted to Southgate’s resignation and said that the former Middlesbrough coach ‘brought joy’ to the team and made them confident about performing on the big stage. However, the World Cup was a far cry, according to Smith, and there was always a time limit on how flawlessly such a high-pressure job could be done.
Southgate took the role of English manager back in 2016 and led the side to back to back Euro finals but failed to bring the silverware and end England’s major tournaments’ trophy drought. He led the English side in 102 games, winning 61 of the games.
Gareth Southgate announced his departure from the England National Football team on Tuesday. The decision comes after his second consecutive loss in the final of the European championship. Here’s how players and experts have reacted to the news. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
