Southgate explains why he left football behind

Gareth Southgate, the former England manager, has shared why he stepped away from football after his time with the Three Lions. He left his position after Euro 2024.

The 56-year-old led England to two European Championship finals in 2020 and 2024. Now, he says he does not see himself going back to manage a club in the Premier League.

Southgate resigned after England lost 2-1 to Spain in the Euro 2024 final. Since then, he has not taken on any new management roles.

Speaking on The Amol Rajan Connection, Southgate told BBC Sport that he started to lose his enjoyment of football towards the end of his time with the national team. "I don’t see a scenario where I do that," he said about returning to Premier League management.

"Towards the end of my time with England, I stopped enjoying, at the very least for a period, the wins keep you going. By the end, I didn’t even enjoy the wins for any longer than a couple of minutes. So, I’ve hardly watched football."

Southgate, who previously managed Middlesbrough, mentioned he has not been to a football ground since he attended the FA Cup final to watch his childhood club, Crystal Palace, win their first major trophy. "I went to the FA Cup final to see my team, Crystal Palace, win their first trophy. I’ve not been to a football ground since. So my sort of desire to be involved in football has changed," he added.

Since leaving the England job, Southgate has taken on new opportunities. He has worked in the media, presented a BBC documentary about the challenges young men and boys face, and even served as a visiting lecturer at Harvard Business School in Boston.

The former England defender said these changes helped him explore interests beyond the stress of football management. "I’ve loved the last 18 months of my life," he shared.

"I’ve had 37 years where my sense of self depended on did I win or lose on Saturday. And actually I’ve loved having different experiences. I’ve met politicians, I’ve met people in the media industry, I have learned about leadership in all sorts of areas, I’ve travelled around the world learning things."

Southgate seems happy to stay away from coaching for now. He is enjoying this new chapter after years of managing England under intense pressure.