Gareth Southgate steps down as England football team’s head coach

England manager Gareth Southgate has parted ways as the head coach of the England football team. The decision comes just two days after England lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain 1-2.

The 53-year-old Southgate was incharge of England for 102 matches under which he guided England to 61 wins, losing just 17 matches. He took charge of the team in 2016 and was at the helm for eight years.

Southgate, in a statement, informed the decision to move away from the role and reasoned that the time is ripe for a change and a new chapter. “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. It’s time for change, and for a new chapter. Sunday’s final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager,” he said.

England, under Southgate’s tutelage, reached two consecutive Euro finals – in 2020 (played in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and in 2024. Both the finals ended in defeat for England. While England lost to Italy in 2021, they lost to Spain in 2024.

In the four major tournaments he managed, England won 14 games – the most for any manager.

England also reached the semifinal of the 2018 FIFA World World Cup where they lost to Croatia 2-1 and in 2022 the team was ousted by eventual-finalists France 2-1 in the quarterfinals.

Southgate was under severe media and critics scrutiny for his decision making and strategies but he has more often than not proved them otherwise. His substitutions in the recently-concluded Euro 2024 was spot on as goals from substitutes helped England progress to the final.

Although his contract was supposed to end at the end of the year, he was almost guaranteed an extension but the 53-year-old decided to prematurely end his contract.