Southgate Taking Time to Consider Future with England Gareth Southgate to Reflect on England Future After Euro 2024 Final Defeat
Following England’s 2-1 loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, Gareth Southgate expressed the need to take time to consider his future as England manager. The defeat marks England’s second consecutive loss in European Championship finals, having previously lost to Italy in 2021.
Southgate, whose contract expires at the end of the year, has led England to notable successes, including reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the quarter-finals in 2022. However, England’s quest for a major tournament title, which dates back to their 1966 World Cup victory, remains unfulfilled.
“I need to have discussions with key stakeholders behind the scenes, and naturally, I can’t discuss this publicly right now,” Southgate stated regarding his future plans.
Despite England’s achievement in reaching their first major tournament final on foreign soil, Southgate acknowledged that they struggled to meet expectations as pre-tournament favorites. He noted that key players like Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Phil Foden did not replicate their club form during the competition.
Spain, according to Southgate, deserved their victory as they proved to be the superior team throughout the tournament.
“Our players have shown incredible effort, desire, and character throughout,” Southgate commented. “However, tonight we fell short in terms of ball retention against a very strong Spanish side.”
Southgate pointed out several challenges, including physical issues with players and having less time to recover compared to Spain, who played their semi-final against France earlier.
“Ultimately, Spain’s control of possession was crucial tonight, and we need to reflect on why we couldn’t match that,” Southgate concluded.
Despite the disappointment, Southgate praised his team’s efforts and acknowledged Spain’s superiority, signaling a period of reflection before making any decisions about his future with the national team.
