SOUTHGATE SET TO BE KNIGHTED: Former England Manager to Receive Prestigious Honour for Services to Football

London, UK – December 15, 2024 – Former England manager Gareth Southgate is to be knighted in the 2025 New Year Honours, it has been revealed. The 54-year-old will become the fourth England manager to receive this prestigious recognition, joining an elite group of footballing legends that includes Sir Walter Winterbottom, Sir Alf Ramsey, and Sir Bobby Robson.

Southgate’s knighthood is a testament to his transformative influence on English football during his eight-year tenure as national team manager. Appointed in 2016, he inherited a demoralised squad but quickly rejuvenated English football, bringing pride back to fans after years of disappointment.

Under Southgate’s leadership, England achieved a number of notable successes, including reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, securing third place in the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019, and making consecutive appearances in the European Championship finals.

Southgate’s tenure concluded with a narrow 2-1 loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, marking the end of a transformative era. However, his legacy as one of the most successful and respected England managers in recent history remains secure.

The former England manager will be formally conferred with his knighthood in early 2025, in recognition of his services to sport. A source close to the Honours Committee described Southgate as a “football legend who achieved great things” and praised his ability to “inspire a nation” and “reignite belief in the Three Lions”.

Southgate’s knighthood is a fitting tribute to a career defined by dignified leadership, innovation, and success both on and off the pitch. He will join an exclusive group of England managers who have received this prestigious honour, cementing his place among the greats of English football.

Source: Africa Publicity