Boris Johnson has hailed the job Gareth Southgate has done as England manager but stopped short of suggesting he could be in for a knighthood if the national team's 55-year wait for silverware ends this weekend.
Southgate leads his team out at Wembley again on Sunday as England meet Italy in the final of Euro 2020.
He is only the second Three Lions boss to take his side to the final of a major tournament, after 1966 World Cup-winning boss Sir Alf Ramsey.
Johnson was in the stands for what he described as a "total nail-biter" to watch England's tense but thrilling victory over Denmark on Wednesday, as Harry Kane's extra-time winner sealed their 2-1 triumph.
And he revealed his admiration for Southgate when asked if the England boss was likely to become a Sir if his side reign supreme against the Italians.
"I obviously wouldn’t want to anticipate anything that the honours people may decide," Johnson told broadcasters. "But clearly I think Gareth Southgate has done an absolutely outstanding job.
"What seems so amazing to me is how he varies it, he mixes it up, and plays a different series of options depending on the match in question."
Johnson was accompanied by wife Carrie to the match and was even donning an England shirt with 'Boris 10' on the back, underneath his suit.
But while he revelled in the atmosphere alongside Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Danish Royal Family, he was being slammed by Gary Neville in the ITV studio.
"The standard of leaders in this country the past couple of years has been poor," Neville blasted, before adding: "Looking at that man (Southgate), he’s everything a leader should be, respectful, humble, he tells the truth."
Meanwhile, Southgate and his players were joining in the chorus to 'Sweet Caroline' as fans inside Wembley went wild after the win.
Yet despite their achievement, Southgate had a firm word of warning to not get too carried away.
Asked in his post-match press conference if his players would be given time to celebrate, he replied: "They’ve had it, haven't they? It looked like mayhem on the pitch to me.
"I was part of it, so... We’re in a final, let's enjoy that fact.
"We have to enjoy that but it's one more massive hurdle and we have to try and get over that.
"I'm so proud of the players. It was an incredible occasion to be a part of."
England had to fight back from a goal behind after Mikkel Damsgaard's thumping free-kick beat Jordan Pickford, before Bukayo Saka helped level things up when his cross was diverted in by Denmark defender Simon Kjaer for an own goal.
Kane then gave England fans a scare when his penalty was saved by Kasper Schmeichel, only for the Three Lions' captain to tuck away the rebound and send Wembley into raptures.
"The fans were incredible all night and we knew it wouldn't be straightforward," Southgate added.
"The game in Rome the other night (4-0 win vs Ukraine) was so straightforward and we said to the players that we are, at some point, going to have to show some resilience and come back from some setbacks. We did that tonight."
