Soccer-Southgate says he could leave if England don’t win Euro 2024

Soccer-Southgate says he could leave if England don’t win Euro 2024

(Reuters) – England manager Gareth Southgate says the European Championship in Germany might be his last chance to win a major trophy with the country, having been in charge of the Three Lions since 2016.

The 53-year-old led England to the Euro 2020 final and also guided them to a third-place Nations League finish in 2019.

Former Middlesbrough coach Southgate has been linked with Manchester United but earlier said he was completely focused on the national team. His England contract expires in December.

“If we don’t win, I probably won’t be here anymore. Then it might be the last chance,” Southgate told German newspaper BILD. “I think about half the national team coaches leave after a tournament — that’s the nature of international football.

“I’ve been here for almost eight years now and we’ve been close. So I know that you can’t keep standing in front of the public and saying, ‘A little bit more please’, because at some point, people lose faith in your message.

“If we want to be a great team and I want to be a top coach, then you have to deliver in the big moments.”

England kick off their Group C campaign against Serbia on Sunday, followed by matches versus Denmark and Slovenia.

(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)