When asked about reaching 100 games as England manager before the quarter-final against Switzerland last Saturday, Gareth Southgate played down the milestone. “It isn’t about me, it’s about the team,” he told the Telegraph. “I think it’s something I will reflect on with huge pride in time, but I don’t see that being in the next 10 days.”
He has, however, let his feet do the talking since then. During a pitch inspection at the Westphalia stadium in Dortmund ahead of the semi-final between England and the Netherlands on Wednesday, he wore a pair of Nike trainers with “100” embroidered on the back and the words “anything is possible” written around the heel.
If the footwear is relatively out-there for a man who is more usually found in a sensible and discreet loafer, the idea of using footwear as a way to send messages is an established practice in football. Cole Palmer has a St Kitts and Nevis flag on his boots to pay tribute to his heritage, and Declan Rice wore a one-off pair of boots in March to celebrate reaching 50 caps for England.
It’s now a growing business. Ryan Park and Jordan Dawson are two names making customised boots for top-flight players, including Jack Grealish and Antonio Rüdiger.
The “anything is possible” message on the back of Southgate’s trainers refers to the title of his book released in 2022. England fans will also be hoping it’s a statement that holds true for Sunday night and Southgate’s 102nd game in charge – the Euro 2024 final against Spain.