The Prince of Wales hailed Gareth Southgate as an “all-round class act” after his decision to step down from his role as England manager.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also thanked the departing boss for “bringing back hope and belief” to the Three Lions during his eight years in charge.
Southgate, 53, announced his decision to leave his role just two days after England fell short in their successive European Championship final to Spain in Berlin.
They are the only two times the Three Lions have reached a major tournament final since 1966, while he also guided the team to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and the quarter-finals in 2022.
Prince William wrote on X: “Gareth, I want to thank you – not as the President of the FA, but as an England fan.
“Thank you for creating a team that stands shoulder to shoulder with the world’s finest in 2024.
“Thank you for showing humility, compassion, and true leadership under the most intense pressure and scrutiny.
“And thank you for being an all-round class act. You should be incredibly proud of what you’ve achieved. W.”
Gareth, I want to thank you – not as the President of the @FA, but as an @England fan.
Thank you for creating a team that stands shoulder to shoulder with the world’s finest in 2024. Thank you for showing humility, compassion, and true leadership under the most intense pressure… pic.twitter.com/Fq2ytO4em6
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) July 16, 2024
PM: Southgate has laid foundations for future success
Brought in initially as a caretaker in 2016, Southgate is creditied with transforming the fortunes of the England national team, creating an environment for young players to flourish.
The newly-elected Prime Minister said: “Gareth’s time as England manager will be remembered for bringing back the hope and belief the country had been crying out for for so long.
“He and his teams have given us so much. No-one will forget the run to the World Cup semi-final in 2018 or making our first two finals of the Euros. The wins over Germany and Denmark at Wembley in 2021 were utterly joyous, coming just as crowds were allowed back in after the dark days of Covid.
“Gareth also brought a deeper understanding of what the job means and represents. During turbulent times, he has been a thoughtful spokesperson on events far beyond football.
“He has been a mentor to our brilliant young talent. And at every step of the way, he has shouldered the dreams of the country with dignity and honour.
“I join with everyone today in saying thank you to both Gareth and his team for all they have achieved and for laying the foundations for future success.”
I join with everyone today in saying thank you to both Gareth Southgate and his team for all they have achieved and for laying the foundations for future success. pic.twitter.com/H2sEW6i5NA
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 16, 2024
Former England captain and now BBC presenter Gary Lineker echoed those thoughts, adding that the former Three Lions defender came so close to “footballing immortality”.
The 63-year-old said: “Wishing Gareth Southgate all the very best in the future. He brought pride, respect and a togetherness to England that we hadn’t seen for a long time.
“He was close, very close to footballing immmortality and he always did the job with humility, decency and dignity. Thank you, Gareth.”
