It’s the end of an era for England, as Gareth Southgate has chosen to step down from his position of Three Lions manager in the wake of the defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
That defeat in Germany was the second consecutive European Championship final loss Southgate oversaw, following the penalty shootout defeat to Italy in Euro 2020 and while Southgate was unable to end England’s trophy drought, he will go down as one of his country’s finest-ever managers.
FourFourTwo takes a look at the numbers and achievements which show how he can be classified as the best-ever boss the Three Lions have had (albeit with the rather large caveat of not adding to the trophy cabinet).
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Only two managers in England history have been in the dugout more times than Southgate, with his record of 61 wins from 102 matches in charge bettered only by Sir Alf Ramsey (69 wins from 113 games) and Sir Walter Winterbottom (78 victories from 139 matches).
Tournament football is what really counts and this is where Southgate's record by the number is unmatched by anyone.
Southgate went to four tournaments with England, finishing fourth at the 2018 World Cup after a run to the semi-finals, losing in the finals of Euros 2020 and 2024, plus a quarter-final defeat at the 2022 World Cup.
No other manager - even Ramsey - has taken England to the final four in three tournaments. Sir Alf had a third-place finish at a Euro 1968 that was contested by four teams, plus a pair of World Cup quarter-finals in 1970 and 1974 , while England did not qualify for the Euros in 1964 or the World Cup ten years later.
Winterbottom’s best effort was two World Cup quarter-finals in 1954 and 1962 from the four tournaments he managed at, while Sir Bobby Robson’s side made the World Cup quarter-finals in 1986 and came fourth at Italia 90, sandwiching a group stage exit at Euro 88.
Sven-Goran Eriksson oversaw three consecutive quarter-finals between 2001 and 2006, while Roy Hodgson was the only other manager to take England to three tournaments, with a Euro 2012 quarter-final his high point.
Drilling down, Southgate has managed more tournament matches than any other Englishman (26), earning more wins (14) in the process.
England’s run to the final in Germany this month also saw Southgate become the only person to take England to a final on foreign soil.
Finally, Southgate has the record for being involved in the most England matches, winning 57 caps as a player and taking charge of 102 matches as manager.
That means of the 1,062 matches England have played since taking on Scotland on November 30, 1872, Southgate has been involved in 14.97 per cent per cent of them. He will be missed.
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