Former England head coach Gareth Southgate was knighted on Wednesday in the King’s New Year Honours list following his resignation as national team manager after Euro 2024.
Southgate, 54, becomes Sir Gareth after guiding the Three Lions through one of their most consistent eras in tournament football.
His tenure saw England reach the Euro 2020 and 2024 finals and the 2018 World Cup semifinals, rewriting decades of underachievement.
The former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough defender stepped down in July after England’s narrow 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin – a gutting repeat of their penalty shootout heartbreak to Italy at Wembley three years prior.
“It has been the greatest honour to represent my country as both a player and a manager,” Southgate said in a statement. “I’m incredibly thankful for the amazing people and teams who’ve supported me on and off the field. A special thank you to my family ... though they’ve made it clear the titles I hold at home won’t be changing.”
Southgate leaves with 102 matches at the helm, including 61 wins, and the distinction of being the only England men’s manager to reach two major tournament finals. He also earned 57 caps as a player from 1995 to 2004, appearing in three major tournaments, and logged over 600 club appearances across a 16-year career.
His post-playing transition into coaching began in 2011 as the FA’s head of elite development, followed by a stint with the under-21s. He was appointed England manager in 2016, first temporarily, then permanently. His calm leadership, modern man-management, and iconic waistcoat helped rebrand the national team.
He’s now the fourth England manager to receive a knighthood, joining legends Walter Winterbottom, Alf Ramsey and Bobby Robson. Southgate was previously awarded an OBE in 2019.
During a speech at the University of London in March, he reflected on the resilience football instilled in him: “It’s picked me up when I’ve been down, grounded me in success, and given me purpose amidst the noise of public life.”
He has been succeeded by German coach Thomas Tuchel.
Also knighted in the latest honours list is Gerald Davies, 80, the legendary Welsh rugby wing.
Davies, who helped Wales to three Grand Slams in the 1960s and ’70s and served as Welsh Rugby Union president, was honored for his services to rugby, volunteer work, and charities in Wales.
“I feel very emotional,” Davies told PA. “You don’t achieve these things on your own.”
