Gareth Southgate has revealed he ‘needs to talk to the right people’ before deciding on his England future following their Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain on Sunday night.
The Three Lions lost 2-1 in Berlin, with Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal scoring either side of a sensational goal from Cole Palmer.
Southgate’s future is currently up in the air, with the England boss yet to confirm his intentions.
But the 53-year-old was in no mood to discuss his future after the full time whistle.
Gareth Southgate has revealed he ‘needs to talk to the right people’ before deciding on his England future following their 2-1 Euro 2024 defeat to Spain on Sunday night
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“I don’t think now is a good time to make a decision like that,” he said.
“I need to talk to the right people. It’s not for now.”
Prior to the clash in Berlin, England had established themselves as the comeback kings.
They came from behind to win matches against Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
And Southgate, when asked if it was one comeback mission too far, said: “It is easy to say that and there is definitely a disadvantage to having a day less to prepare.
“But we were still in it come 80 minutes. It is going to take a while to pick the bones out of it really.”
Southgate opted to bring Harry Kane off with his side chasing a leveller.
The Bayern Munich striker was subdued throughout the competition, a far cry from the player that terrorised Bundesliga defences last season.
When asked about his decision to replace Kane with Ollie Watkins, Southgate said it was because the tournament has been ‘physically tough’ for the former Tottenham star.
“Physically it has been tough for him,” he said.
“He came into the tournament short on games and has not quite reached the level we all would have hoped.
“The games are hugely demanding and we thought Ollie’s freshness would allow us to press better and offer a press in behind.
“I thought the substitutes came on and did what we asked them to do.”
Alan Shearer, meanwhile, thinks Southgate will leave his post as manager and pursue a new challenge elsewhere.
England reportedly have the likes of Eddie Howe, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino under consideration to replace the former Middlesbrough boss.
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Gareth Southgate has opened up after England’s defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024
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And Shearer can’t see Southgate being in charge of England when the World Cup takes place in 2026.
“I suspect it will be Southgate’s last game,” he said on BBC One.
“From where he took over and where they are now. There will be great disappointment at home.
“Yes, we could have played more attacking football but they have got to the final. But when you are here, you have got to get over the line.
England striker Harry Kane was subdued during his side’s 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024
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“The reality is he got us to a final three years ago and got us to a final here, and hasn’t won.
“That will hurt him and maybe he will think it’s time for someone else.”
England have now become the first side to lose two European Championship finals. That’s a grim stat from a grim evening in Germany.