2024-07-17 08:23:04
l After 8 years the coach
left his post with the British
l The homeland of football has
only 4 wins in 24 years
against FIFA top 10 teams
June 26, 1996 Wembley Stadium. The host of the European championship England plays a 1/2-final match against Germany. The match in regular time and after extra time ended 1:1. Penalties follow. After the first 5 performances, none of the players miss. Next is the so-called sudden death where any miss is fatal. Germany’s Andreas Möller scores. Gareth Southgate is fine. However, the goalkeeper of the Bundesliga saved the Englishman’s shot and the homeland of football could not reach a great honor again.
28 years later, Germany again proved to be a challenge for Southgate. Already as England coach, he failed to win Euro 2024, despite having one of the best players in the world at his disposal. It was Southgate’s and England’s second European final lost in a row. 3 years ago, his selection fell to Italy on penalties, again at Wembley. And after the collapse in Germany, he decided to retire.
Southgate spent 8 years in charge of England. He took over the team in 2016, initially his contract was temporary. But he took it that he succeeded. And he deserved a permanent contract.
Under his leadership, the team was a hair’s breadth away from the much-dreamed-of great triumph several times, but it always remained a hair’s breadth away. Apart from the aforementioned 2 European finals, Southgate’s England also reached 4th place in the world in 2018.
“As a proud Englishman, it was the honor of my life to play for my country and later to coach the national team. It meant everything to me and I gave it my all. But now it’s time for a change,” said the 53-year-old coach, who became the first Briton to win back-to-back European finals as a coach in history, in a statement.
“Garrett, thank you. Not as chairman of the Football Association, but as an England fan. Thank you for building a team that in 2024 is equal to the best in the world. Thank you for being a true leader in the moments of greatest pressure on the team. You showed class and you can be proud of what you have achieved”, admitted Prince William, who is a big football fan and even supported the British from the stands in the final against Spain.
In England, several names are already being discussed for replacements for the departed Southgate. It is first in the FA list
Eddie Howe who
Newcastle leads
The other favorites are three former Chelsea managers – Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino.
At the same time, it became clear that English football is not at such a high level as claimed. Or at least that’s what the statistics show.
It turns out that in 24 years, the national team of the homeland of football has only 4 victories over teams that are in the top 10 of FIFA.
Since 2000, the British have faced 15 times against the strongest ranked teams in world or European championships.
Interestingly, England started the century with 2 wins. First, in 2000, they beat Germany 1:0 in the group stage of the European Championship.
2 years later, at the World Cup in Korea and Japan, the British beat Argentina, and the match was again from the groups. They follow
8 losses in a row
for the English
vs
the strongest
teams
In 2002 they lost to Brazil. 2 consecutive losses to Portugal followed (2004 at the European and 2006 at the World Cup). 4 years later, England fell to Germany at the World Cup in South Africa. At the World Cup in Brazil, the selection of England lost in the groups of Italy and Uruguay. 4 years later, on 2 occasions, the British fell from Belgium. The other two successes of the national team of the homeland of football are in European championships. At the front continental championship in the 1/2-final, they eliminated Denmark, which was then in 8th place in the ranking of the world football powerhouse. At this European, England beat the Netherlands, which is in 7th place.
The remaining losses are in the Euro 2020 final against Italy, the 2022 World Cup against France, as well as the already mentioned final against Spain from Sunday.