A London Underground station has been temporarily renamed for Gareth Southgate after he led England to their best World Cup performance since 1990.
The England manager’s forename has been added to signage on the platforms, in the ticket hall and outside the Grade II-listed Southgate station, in Enfield, north London, which will remain Gareth Southgate station for 48 hours.
Next stop - Gareth Southgate! To celebrate the achievements of the @england men's football team this summer, TfL & @VisaUK have temporarily renamed Southgate station on the @piccadillyline. Why not come down and post a #SouthgateSelfie pic.twitter.com/n8tR70qitd
— Transport for London 🌈 (@TfL) July 16, 2018
After a series of disappointing England performances at major tournaments, expectations were low for Southgate’s young and inexperienced team in Russia. But they defied the gloomy predictions by finishing fourth after reaching the semi-finals, equalling their best performance at a World Cup not held in England.
Southgate was praised for trusting in youth, for creating a relaxed atmosphere that allowed the players to thrive – and for his waistcoats. Theresa May has praised his leadership and wants to host a reception for the England team at Downing Street.
Mark Wild, managing director of London Underground at Transport for London, said: “The great performance of the England team this summer brought people of all ages together in celebration. We’re delighted to be able to show our appreciation to Gareth and the team by renaming the station in his honour.”
The French team who lifted the trophy after a 4-2 victory over Croatia in the final on Sunday have been honoured in similar fashion on the Métro. The operator, RATP, said it had changed the names of six Paris subway stations.
[#MercilesBleus] La #RATP célèbre l’@equipedefrance sur son réseau. On vous dévoile 6 nouvelles stations de métro en l'honneur des Bleus #ChampionsDuMonde ! 🏆 🎁 Toutes les infos ➡ https://t.co/9TdZq7Uwmp #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/lAGJhLuBm8
— Groupe RATP (@GroupeRATP) July 16, 2018
They include Notre-Dame des Champs, renamed Notre Didier Deschamps in honour of the team’s manager, and Charles de Gaulle-Étoile, now “On a 2 Étoiles” (We Have Two Stars), for the number of times France have now won the World Cup.
