GARETH SOUTHGATE has been knighted at Windsor Castle after being recognised in the New Year Honours.
Sir Gareth was recognised for his services to football and officially received his knighthood from Prince William today.
ReutersGareth Southgate has received his knighthood[/caption]
PAHe attended Windor Castle to receive his honour[/caption]
PASouthgate was presented the knighthood by Prince William[/caption]
PAThe former England manager transformed the national team during his spell in charge[/caption]
Southgate, 54, transformed the England national team as manager between 2016 and 2024 – leading the nation to two major finals.
The former Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough defender led England to the final of both Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, heartbreakingly falling at the final hurdle on both occasions.
While his efforts in charge of the Three Lions at the World Cup saw England bow out in the semi-final in 2018 and the quarter-final in 2022.
In all, Southgate took charge of 102 games as England boss, winning 64, drawing 20 and losing just 18.
Southgate looked smart as he bowed his knee to Prince William, who is also the patron and former president of the FA, sporting a black suit with coat-tails and a red tie.
Reacting to the honour, Southgate – who was made an OBE in 2019 for services to football – said: “I feel very emotional about it. I am surprised by it.
“Words are really quite inadequate to describe it. It comes out of the blue.”
Southgate was previously made an OBE for his services to football in the 2019 New Year Honours.
APSouthgate suffered heartbreak in back-to-back Euros finals[/caption]
Southgate’s England record
Here is a look at Gareth Southgate’s record as England manager.
Overall record
Games: 102
Wins: 61
Draws: 24
Losses: 17
Goals scored: 213
Goals conceded: 72
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The Watford-born manager stepped down as England manager last July, just two days after watching England suffer late heartache at the hands of Spain in the European Championship final.
He has since been replaced by former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel, who has come under criticism for a 3-1 defeat to Senegal in his fourth game in charge.
Southgate represented England as a player too, earning 57 caps for his country between 1995 and 2004 – playing for the Three Lions in a World Cup and European Championship.
He becomes the fourth England manager to be knighted, after Sir Walter Winterbottom, Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson.
England legend David Beckham is set to join him as a sir soon too, after SunSport exclusively revealed he will be knighted in the King’s Birthday Honours.
Beckham, 50, has long yearned for a knighthood after his services to the beautiful game.
Southgate has been linked with a return to management since leaving the England setup last year.
He was rumoured to be a candidate to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United before the Red Devils settled on the appointment of Ruben Amorim.
While last week the head of the Polish FA revealed that they had rejected the chance to bring Southgate in as national team manager.
Speaking to Polish paper Przeglad Sportowy, Kulesza said of Southgate: “We have received an offer to hire him.
“But we must remember one basic thing: no foreign coach will give us a guarantee that we will qualify for the World Cup.
“If he gave us such a guarantee, I would hire him immediately.”
Full list of British football knighthoods
David Beckham will soon join the list of honourees…
Sir Charles Clegg, 1927
Sir Stanley Rous, 1949
Sir Stanley Matthews, 1965
Sir Alf Ramsey, 1967
Sir Matt Busby, 1968
Sir Walter Winterbottom, 1978
Sir Bert Millichip, 1991
Sir Bobby Charlton, 1994
Sir Tom Finney, 1998
Sir Geoff Hurst, 1998
Sir Alex Ferguson, 1999
Sir Bobby Robson, 2002
Sir Trevor Brooking, 2004
Sir Dave Richards, 2006
Sir Kenny Dalglish, 2018
Sir Gareth Southgate, 2025
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