Gareth Southgate has announced his departure from the England national team after eight years in charge of the Three Lions, during which time he has brought a stability that has rarely been seen in English history.
Despite assurances from the English Football Association before the Euro 2024 final that Southgate should stay until the 2026 World Cup, the manager himself was the one who made the decision that it was the right time to end this great journey.
Southgate spoke after the announcement and said: “It has been the greatest honor of my life to play for England and then to manage them. It has meant everything to me, and I have given everything I have.”
As for the reason for his departure, he replied succinctly: “It is the right time for a change and for a new chapter, both for the England team and for me. I am now leaving my position.”
Southgate took over England in 2016 from Sam Allardyce and led the Three Lions in 102 matches, winning 64, drawing 20 and losing only 18.
The 53-year-old manager was unable to break the tournament curse for the English, losing the Euro final twice in 2020 and 2024, as well as finishing fourth in the 2018 World Cup and being eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2022 edition.
So far, no decision has been made on who will succeed Southgate in charge of England, and the English press has put forward 5 possible names for the job.
The name that is currently gaining the most momentum is former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter, but there is also competition to some extent from another manager who is experienced in dealing with English players, Mauricio Pochettino.
The name of German Thomas Tuchel has also been linked with the England job, as well as current Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, and some newspapers have expressed their dreams of seeing one of the duo of Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp take over.
It is worth noting that England have two matches in September in the UEFA Nations League, so the new manager is expected to be announced in the next few days.
