England's Southgate quits after leading team to Euro 2024 final
Gareth Southgate will step down as England manager after eight years in charge, he said on Tuesday.
Southgate led England to the final of Euro 2024 - losing 2-1 to Spain on Sunday.
“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," he said. “But it’s time for change, and for a new chapter.”
Southgate’s contract was due to expire this year and his announcement comes after months of uncertainty surrounding his future.
He was hired in 2016 and led England to back-to-back finals at the Euros and to the semifinals of the World Cup in 2018.
But he was unable to end the nation’s decades-long wait for a major trophy since the World Cup in 1966.
He said before the European Championship that it would likely be his last if England did not win and faced fierce criticism during the tournament, which saw some fans throw plastic beer cups towards him at the end of the 0-0 draw with Slovenia during the group phase.
But he achieved what no other England manager has by leading his team to back-to-back Euros finals and the first final on foreign soil.
“Gareth has made the impossible job possible and laid strong foundations for future success. He is held in the highest regard by the players, the backroom team, by everyone at the FA and across the world of football,” FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer