Gareth Southgate has admitted that he still has to make a decision over his future as England boss after his side suffered World Cup heartbreak.
The Three Lions boss, who has been in charge since 2016, was hoping to reach his third semi final in as many major tournaments. Standing in their way were the reigning world champions France, looking to become the first nation to retain their world crown since Brazil in 1962.
But Harry Kane ’s missed penalty in the final five minutes meant it was more agony for England, losing out 2-1 to France. Kane had actually got his team level in the tie, scoring from the spot after Aurelien Tchouameni thundered France into a first-half lead.
Olivier Giroud then put the holders back in front with 12 minutes to go, only for France to gift Kane and England another chance from 12 yards. Referee Wilton Sampaio had no choice but to point to the spot again after consulting the pitchside monitor over a Theo Hernandez shove on Mason Mount.
But with the chance to not only level the scores for the second time, but to become England’s leading ever goalscorer, Kane blasted his effort over the bar. And despite a late Marcus Rashford free kick brushing the side of the net, Southgate’s charges were unable to claw their way back into the game for a second time.
England’s disconsolate players sank to their knees at the full-time whistle as Southgate went round each of them to offer words of encouragement. The former Middlesbrough boss appeared to have a lengthy chat with the emotional Kane, who had played a key role in getting them to the latter stages.
Their exit from Qatar brings Southgate’s future into focus, having refused to commit beyond the end of this tournament. His current arrangement with the Football Association stretches until 2024, but after a dreadful summer and supporter pressure to leave his post, he had previously revealed that no long-term decisions had yet been made.
Speaking to ITV after the final whistle, Southgate told the watching nation he will take some time before deciding one way or another. “I think after every tournament, we’ve sat and reviewed and that needs a little bit of time so everyone makes the right decisions.”
England’s players have made it clear throughout their time in the Gulf that they wholeheartedly back Southgate, having helped transform the country’s relationship with his national side.
And former England international Gary Neville agreed he should stay on - unless he wanted to take a role higher up with the FA. “I would love Gareth to stay on for two years, I’d love to stay on beyond that whether it’s as a coach or whether it be a role in the FA deciding the future,” he told ITV Sport.
“England in the last 10 years have won youth tournaments, won the women’s tournament in the summer, we’ve got to the men’s final, we’ve got good technical players, England are in a good place - lets be clear…we’ve gone out of tournaments in a disgrace [in the past].”
