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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="footballco-bet-betsense">{"type":"footballco-bet-betsense","data":{}}</script><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_d6e1e5da-7d9a-43d5-97e1-f4350a3cd7e3"}}</script><ul><li>Three Lions suffered more final heartache</li><li>Manager took in over 100 games at the helm</li><li>Has walked away before contract expired</li></ul>

'Very close to footballing immortality' - Gary Lineker reacts to Gareth Southgate's England exit just three weeks after 'sh*t' assessment of national team at Euro 2024

<p>Southgate has, after suffering defeat in a second successive European Championship final defeat, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/gareth-southgate-resigns-as-england-manager-emotional-statement-after-euro-2024-final-heartbreak/bltd1a723cfd0ac920e" target="_blank">decided to step down from the most demanding of managerial roles</a>. He had been at the helm since 2016, taking in 102 games while <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/gareth-southgate-must-walk-away-england-new-direction-glorious-failure-euro-2024/blt97fcabab5bc40ce1" target="_blank">coming as close as anybody to ending a barren run on the trophy front</a> for England’s men’s team.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>While he may not have boasted universal support among England's fans base, Southgate’s record speaks for itself and he walks away with his head held high. <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/thank-you-gareth-southgate-england-fans-tribute-outgoing-boss-restoring-pride-rollercoaster-euro-2024-campaign/blt58d937ce588eddf7" target="_blank">Praise has rained down on the affable 53-year-old</a> in the wake of his decision to cut short a contract that was due to run until the end of the calendar year.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Ex-England international striker Lineker has added his voice to those saluting the efforts of a man that succeeded where many others have failed in finding comfort on the warmest of hot-seats: “Wishing Gareth Southgate all the very best in the future. He brought pride, respect and a togetherness to England that we hadn’t seen for a long time. He was close, very close to footballing immortality and he always did the job with humility, decency and dignity. Thank you, Gareth.”</p><center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wishing Gareth Southgate all the very best in the future. He brought pride, respect and a togetherness to <a href="https://twitter.com/England?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@England</a> that we hadn’t seen for a long time. He was close, very close to footballing immmortality and he always did the job with humility, decency and dignity. Thank you,…</p>— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1813168682706583604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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WHAT LINEKER SAID

<p>While happy to talk up Southgate’s achievements, it was only <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/gary-lineker-explains-shaft-assessment-england-ex-three-lions-star-revealing-whether-spoken-harry-kane-euro-2024-final/blt40fa811cfbcf66cb" target="_blank">three weeks ago that Lineker delivered a “sh*t” assessment of England’s performances</a> during the Euro 2024 group stage. They found a way of battling through to the final, only to suffer a dramatic 2-1 defeat to Spain with long-awaited major silverware up for grabs.</p>

WHAT NEXT?

'Very close to footballing immortality' - Gary Lineker reacts to Gareth Southgate's England exit just three weeks after 'sh*t' assessment of national team at Euro 2024 | Goal.com US

Gary Lineker has hailed Gareth Southgate for taking England “close to footballing immortality”, a matter of weeks after branding the same team “sh*t”.

&apos;Very close to footballing immortality&apos; - Gary Lineker reacts to Gareth Southgate&apos;s England exit just three weeks after &apos;sh*t&apos; assessment of national team at Euro 2024