Gareth Southgate’s tenure as England manager remains uncertain following the team’s return from the European Championship on Monday.
Southgate’s contract is set to expire this year, and he has not indicated whether he intends to lead England into the 2026 World Cup.
Reports suggest the English Football Association is eager to extend his contract.
England’s defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final prolonged their quest for a first major trophy in over 60 years since their 1966 World Cup victory.
Speaking after Sunday’s 2-1 loss in Berlin, Southgate remarked, “There’s what’s right for the team, there’s what’s right for me. Yeah, lots of things to consider.”
Since his appointment in 2016, Southgate has significantly improved England’s performance, guiding them to consecutive Euro finals and the 2018 World Cup semifinals. Prior to his tenure, England’s best showings were semifinal appearances at the 1990 World Cup and Euro 1996.
Despite these achievements, Southgate has yet to deliver a major title, having lost the Euro 2021 final to Italy and suffering defeat to Spain due to Mikel Oyarzabal’s 86th-minute winner.
Southgate had previously hinted that this tournament could be his last if England did not win, facing early criticism during the Euros for the team’s initial lackluster performances.
The atmosphere shifted positively as England progressed, spurred on by dramatic late goals from Jude Bellingham and Ollie Watkins.
Meanwhile, England Women’s manager Sarina Wiegman, who led her team to Euro 2022 victory and the Women’s World Cup final in 2023 (where they also lost to Spain), expressed support for Southgate’s decision-making process, stating, “That’s absolutely (up) to him. I have a very good relationship with him. That is something for him to reflect on and have the conversation with the people at the FA. That is absolutely not for me.”
The English Football Association now faces a critical decision regarding Southgate’s future, amidst hopes of securing a contract extension to build on his successful tenure.
