Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher lead pundits reacting to news Gareth Southgate has quit England after eight years

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.

But it’s time for change, and for a new chapter. Sunday’s final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager.

I joined the FA in 2011, determined to improve English football. In that time, including eight years as England men’s manager, I have been supported by some brilliant people who have my heartfelt thanks.

I could not have had anyone better alongside me than Steve Holland. He is one of the most talented coaches of his generation, and has been immense.

I have had the privilege of leading a large group of players in 102 games. Every one of them has been proud to wear the three lions on their shirts, and they have been a credit to their country in so many ways.

The squad we took to Germany is full of exciting young talent and they can win the trophy we all dream of.

I am so proud of them, and I hope we get behind the players and the team at St. George’s Park and the FA who strive every day to improve English football, and understand the power football has to drive positive change.

My special thanks go to the backroom staff who have provided the players and me with unstinting support over the last eight years. Their hard work and commitment inspired me every day, and I am so grateful to them – the brilliant ‘team behind the team’.

We have the best fans in the world, and their support has meant the world to me. I’m an England fan and I always will be.

I look forward to watching and celebrating as the players go on to create more special memories and to connect and inspire the nation as we know they can.

Thank you, England – for everything.

Overall record

• Games: 102
• Wins: 61
• Draws: 24
• Losses: 17
• Goals scored: 213
• Goals conceded: 72

But what were the best – and worst matches – from the popular gaffer’s eight-year reign before that devastating Sunday night in Berlin? Here we take a look.

THE HIGHS:

Colombia 1-1 England (3-4 on pens,) 2018 World Cup

This was the night that long-suffering supporters finally started to believe that it was coming home.

Despite conceding a late equaliser, England held their nerve to advance to the quarter final of the World Cup 2018 on penalties.

It was our first shootout victory for 22 years.

Spain 2-3 England, 2018 Nations League

Following on from the World Cup, England won in Spain for the first time in 31 years with a brilliant Uefa Nations League victory.

Southgate’s boys stunned the Seville crowd into silence with a thrilling performance that saw them lead 3-0 at the break thanks to a Raheem Sterling brace and Marcus Rashford.

Although the hosts scored two after the break, the way the Three Lions tore La Roja apart excited every fan.

England 2-1 Denmark, Euro 2020 semi-final

Southgate led England to their first major final in 55 years as they beat Denmark after extra-time in the Euro 2020 semi-final.

Having fallen behind after half an hour, the Three Lions battled back to send it to extra-time courtesy of an own goal.

Then it was captain Kane who converted a rebound after Kasper Schmeichel originally saved his penalty in extra-time to win it.

England 3-0 Sengal, 2022 World Cup last 16

England had already blown Iran and Wales, 6-2 and 3-0 respectively, away in the World Cup 2022 group stages before they breezed past Senegal.

The free-scoring Three Lions recorded another big win to set-up a mouthwatering quarter-final against France – what could go wrong?

Italy 1-2 England, Euro qualifiers, 2023

On a night when Harry Kane became England’s all-time top scorer, the Three Lions recorded a first away win over Italy since 1961.

It was the first game since their 2022 World Cup exit, and it ensured a perfect start to their Euro 2022 qualifying campaign.

England 2-1 Holland, Euro 2024 sem-final

The nation doubted Southgate’s men in the semis of Euro 2024, but they responded with a barnstorming display.

Xavi Simons opened the scoring for the Dutch but Harry Kane’s penalty drew us level.

And Ollie Watkins slotted in a brilliant winner in injury time to see the Three Lions into their second successive Euros final.

AND THE LOWS….

Croatia 2-1 England, World Cup semi-final, 2018

Having led England to a first World Cup semi-final since 1990, Southgate men made a dream start as Kieran Trippier put them ahead in the early exchanges.

But Ivan Perisic equalised as the Croats began to take control.

Some of Southgate’s substitutions were then questioned after his team were beaten in extra-time, although many gave him the benefit of the doubt as he returned a hero.

Italy 1-1 England (3-2 pens) Euro 2020 final

Will probably never get a better chance to have secured a trophy for the Three Lions than this final of the last European Championship.

Luke Shaw gave us the lead after just seconds, but just like against Croatia three years earlier, we sat back and let our rivals back into it.

Leonardo Bonucci duly equalised in the second half and the game eventually went to penalties.

The unfortunate Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were all brought on to take a spot-kick, but the brave trio all missed as the Azzurri broke our hearts to take the prize.

England 0-4 Hungary, Nations League 2023

A year on from the Euros and it was utter embarrassment for Southgate in this Nations League game at Molineux.

It was our biggest home defeat since 1928 and the result led to England being relegated from the top group of the Nations League and back to one that contained the Republic of Ireland, Finland and Greece.

England 1-2 France, World Cup 2022 quarter-finals

Another case of what could have been.

Having been free-scoring throughout Qatar 2022, many fancied us to go all the way at the World Cup despite taking on the holders in the quarters.

We fought back from going behind to level through Kane and many believe that France were then there for the taking had Southgate deployed a more attacking approach.

Instead, they seemed content with what they had until Olivier Giroud pounced 12 minutes from time to win it.

But there was still one more twist of the knife for England as the usually-reliable Kane skied a late penalty over the bar uncharacteristically as we crashed out.

There is a natural preference to appoint an English successor.

And in an ideal world, the England manager should always be English. But this is not an ideal scenario.

So the FA must be ambitious in sounding out the best man for the job, regardless of nationality.

Because England need a manager who would gain instant respect with players, who would be tactically bold enough to take on Spain and a strong enough character to deal with Jude Bellingham’s Real Madrid Galactico status, which threatens to cause future issues within the England squad. Yes, when the FA have gone foreign in the past, it hasn’t worked out well.

Yet the problem with Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello was that neither had any previous involvement in English football.

They lacked knowledge and understanding of the football culture — indeed, Capello barely spoke the language.

Now there is a wealth of overseas managerial talent with significant Premier League experience, including Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino, Carlo Ancelotti and Thomas Tuchel.

Read more from Dave Kidd on who England should turn to.

Gareth Southgate claimed that only winning Sunday’s final would earn England the respect of the footballing world.

Spain proved a last-gasp comeback too far in Berlin, but defeat did not change the fact that Southgate’s eight-year transformation put respect back into the world of England football.

Critics will pick apart his cautious tactics, his selection choices and his record in the most high-pressurised games – with some legitimacy.

Yet what is quickly forgotten is the laughing stock our national side had become before he took over in 2016.

A shambolic Euros exit to Iceland that summer had been followed up by Sam Allardyce quitting just one game into his tenure thanks to his pint of wine with undercover reporters.

Then came Southgate, with his decency, his humility, his understated eloquence and his vision for a better, different future.

He had analysed why England had so often failed in the past, from lack of preparation at penalty shoot-outs to players being bored out of their minds during major tournaments.

Southgate took those findings and implemented a culture where players wanted to play for their country again – and it led to back-to-back finals for the first time in our history.

Instead of going to war with the media, he opened his doors to them and discovered, shock, horror, that it was met, generally, with support. 

It did not stop him from being criticised when required – we are no cheerleaders, here – but the vitriol of yesteryear – or today on social media – was largely gone.

No manager is perfect and neither was Southgate. We cannot pretend his teams played like those of Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp.

But in the fullness of time, his feats will likely be revered because the results speak for themselves.

Hopefully his successor can go one step further and bring football home. 

To do that, they must show respect to what Southgate has created and build on it, rather than rip it down.

To read more from Tom Barclay click HERE.

But when the final whistle blew in Berlin’s Olympiastadion stadium, it felt like the right moment to say goodbye to Gareth.

I was there, with two of my sons, to watch England come up short, again, against Spain.

And none of us was enraged.

Disappointed, yes.

Angry, no.

Truthfully, for all our bullish ‘It’s Coming Home!’ social media posts, we knew in our hearts it probably wasn’t.

Why?

Because for all his ‘safe-pair-of-hands’ positives, the problem with Gareth, ironically, is that he’s just too safe.

This very talented squad of players should have been ordered to play with far more attacking flair through this tournament, as Spain did.

Put someone like Jurgen Klopp or Alex Ferguson in charge of these guys, managers with a love of rampaging flamboyance and with in-built desire to entertain, and we’d have won it just as we’d have won the last Euros too.

Read more from Piers Morgan here.