Gareth Southgate: "It's over, I won't return to coaching!"

Gareth Southgate, former England men's national football team manager, has ruled out a return to coaching, saying his feelings about continuing in football have changed.

Southgate led the Three Lions to the Euro finals twice in 2021 and 2024, but failed to end England's long wait for a major title, which dates back to 1966, on both occasions.

Southgate resigned shortly after the 2024 European Cup final and has since been involved in other fields rather than trying to return to the world of coaching.

He worked as a visiting lecturer at the Harvard School of Management in Boston, USA and also made a documentary in which he traveled across the UK to understand the challenges facing young people. "I don't see any scenario that would lead me to that," Southgate said on a podcast when asked about the possibility of becoming a Premier League manager in the future.

He added: "At the end of my time with the England team, I didn't enjoy winning anymore, or at least for a while, although it does motivate you to keep going."

"Eventually, I couldn't enjoy the victories for more than a few minutes, so I hardly watched football," he continued.

Southgate revealed that he has not played since the FA Cup final in May 2025. He said: "I went to the FA Cup final for my team, Crystal Palace, to win their first title. I haven't been to any football stadium since then. Therefore, my desire to continue working in the world of football has changed and I thought my time was over."

In recent weeks, English football received a major shock when Manchester City was sentenced for violating the league's rules. Manchester City have appealed the ruling and denied any wrongdoing, and the matter has put the world's most popular football league on hold pending a final decision and any possible punishment. Southgate said: "My main idea is that none of these things are good for football and there are no winners. "It's incredibly complicated."