Gareth Southgate facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Gareth Southgate
OBE

Southgate with England in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Gareth Southgate
Date of birth	(1970-09-03) 3 September 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth	Watford, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s)	Defender, midfielder
Youth career
	Southampton
	Crystal Palace
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1988–1995	Crystal Palace	152	(15)
1995–2001	Aston Villa	191	(7)
2001–2006	Middlesbrough	160	(4)
Total		503	(26)
International career
1995–2004	England	57	(2)
Managerial career
2006–2009	Middlesbrough
2013–2016	England U21
2016–2024	England
Medal record Men's football Representing  England (as manager) UEFA European Championship Runner-up 2020 Europe Runner-up 2024 Germany UEFA Nations League Third 2019 Portugal
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Sir Gareth Southgate, born on 3 September 1970, is a famous English football manager and former player. He played as a defender and midfielder during his career.

Southgate started his professional journey at Crystal Palace. He became their captain and helped them win the First Division championship in 1994. After playing over 150 games for Palace, he moved to Aston Villa in 1995. There, he won the League Cup in 1996. Later, he joined Middlesbrough, where he also became captain and won another League Cup in 2004. He even reached the 2006 UEFA Cup final with Middlesbrough.

Gareth Southgate played 57 times for the England team between 1995 and 2004. He played in major tournaments like UEFA Euro 1996 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He retired from playing in 2006, having played more than 500 league games.

After retiring, Southgate became a manager. He managed Middlesbrough and the England under-21 team. In 2016, he became the manager of the senior England team. He led England to the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the finals of UEFA Euro 2020 and UEFA Euro 2024. He also reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Southgate won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Coach Award in 2018 and 2021. He left his role as England manager in July 2024.

Early Life and School

Gareth Southgate was born in Watford, England, on 3 September 1970. He went to schools in Hampshire and West Sussex. As a boy, he supported Manchester United. His football hero was Bryan Robson.

He did well in school, earning eight O-Levels. He also studied Recreation and Leisure Industries at Croydon College.

Playing Career

Crystal Palace Days

Southgate played for Southampton as a youth. He then joined Crystal Palace. He made his first professional appearance in October 1990. His league debut was in March 1991 against Liverpool.

He became a regular player in the 1991–92 season. At 23, he became the team captain. He led Crystal Palace to win the First Division title in 1994. He scored nine goals that season playing in midfield. After Palace was relegated in 1995, Southgate moved to Aston Villa.

His nickname at Palace was "Nord." This was because his clear way of speaking reminded his coach of a TV presenter named Denis Norden.

Time at Aston Villa

Southgate played 191 games for Aston Villa over six seasons. At Villa, he became a centre-back. He was part of a very strong defence. In his first season, he helped the team win the League Cup. Aston Villa also qualified for the UEFA Cup.

He played in every Premier League game during the 1998–99 season. In 2000, Villa reached the FA Cup final. Just before playing for England at Euro 2000, he asked to leave the club. He felt it was time to move on to achieve more in his career.

Moving to Middlesbrough

On 11 July 2001, Southgate joined Middlesbrough. He signed a four-year deal. He was the first player signed by manager Steve McClaren.

In July 2002, Southgate became Middlesbrough's new captain. On 29 February 2004, he made history. He was the first Boro captain to lift a trophy in 128 years. They beat Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup final.

Southgate decided to finish his playing career at Middlesbrough. His last game as a professional player was in the 2006 UEFA Cup final. Middlesbrough lost 4–0 to Sevilla in that match.

Playing for England

Southgate first played for England in December 1995. This was against Portugal. He played every minute of England's games at UEFA Euro 1996. England reached the semi-finals against Germany. The game went to a penalty shoot-out. Southgate missed his penalty, and England was knocked out.

Later that year, he made fun of his penalty miss. He appeared in a TV advert for Pizza Hut. Other players who had missed penalties also featured.

Southgate also played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000. He played 57 times for England and scored two goals. His first goal was against Luxembourg in 1998. His second was against South Africa in 2003. He is Aston Villa's most capped England player. He played 42 of his 57 international games while at Villa.

Managerial Career

Managing Middlesbrough

In June 2006, Steve McClaren left Middlesbrough to manage England. Southgate was chosen to take over as manager. He signed a five-year contract. At first, he didn't have all the coaching qualifications needed. But he was allowed to stay on as manager. He then completed his coaching courses.

Southgate had to rebuild the team. Many key players had left. His first season saw some good wins. But they also lost to all three newly promoted teams away from home. Middlesbrough finished the Premier League season in twelfth place.

In the 2007–08 season, Middlesbrough bought new players. They broke their transfer record for Afonso Alves. Southgate guided his team to finish thirteenth in the Premier League. Their last game was a huge 8–1 win against Manchester City. This was the club's biggest Premier League victory.

Relegation and Leaving

The 2008–09 season started well for Middlesbrough. Southgate was even named Premier League Manager of the Month for August. However, the team then went 14 games without a win. They were in danger of being relegated.

On the final day of the season, Middlesbrough lost to West Ham United. This confirmed their relegation to the Championship. They had been in the top league for 11 seasons. Southgate wanted to get the team promoted straight back.

But on 20 October 2009, Southgate was dismissed as manager. This was a surprise because the club was in fourth place. The chairman said it was for the club's best interests. Middlesbrough did not get promoted until 2016.

Leading England's Teams

With the Under-21s

Southgate in 2013

After four years away from football, Southgate returned to management. He became the manager of the England under-21 team in August 2013. His first game was a 1–0 win against Moldova.

He led his team to qualify for the 2015 European Championship finals. However, they finished last in their group and were knocked out. Their only win was 1–0 against Sweden.

Taking Charge of the Senior Team

In September 2016, Southgate became the temporary manager of the senior England team. This happened after Sam Allardyce resigned. England was in the middle of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Southgate won his first game 2–0 against Malta. He then drew with Slovenia, beat Scotland, and drew with Spain. In November, he was appointed England manager permanently. He signed a four-year contract.

2018 World Cup Journey

Southgate with England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

England qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in October 2017. The Football Association said Southgate would stay as manager even if they didn't get past the group stage. They saw the tournament as a key step for the team's growth.

England qualified from their group after beating Tunisia and Panama. In the round of 16, England beat Colombia 4–3 on penalties. This was England's first ever World Cup penalty shoot-out win.

England then beat Sweden 2–0 in the quarter-finals. Southgate became the first England manager to reach a World Cup semi-final since 1990. Fans loved Southgate's style, especially his waistcoat. Shops even reported a big increase in waistcoat sales!

On 11 July 2018, England lost 2–1 to Croatia in the semi-finals after extra time. England finished fourth after losing to Belgium in the third-place play-off. Harry Kane, England's captain, won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer.

After the tournament, Southgate tube station in London was renamed "Gareth Southgate" for two days. Southgate was also praised for his kind actions, like comforting a Colombian player who missed a penalty.

UEFA Nations League Success

In 2019, Southgate led England to third place in the first UEFA Nations League. They won their group, which included Spain and Croatia. Their 3–2 win against Spain was their first win in Spain in 31 years.

They lost to the Netherlands in the semi-final. But they then beat Switzerland 6–5 in a penalty shootout. This was England's first third-place finish in a major international tournament since 1968.

UEFA Euro 2020 Final

At UEFA Euro 2020, England finished top of their group. They beat Croatia and the Czech Republic, and drew with Scotland. In the round of 16, England beat Germany 2–0 at Wembley Stadium. This was their first knockout win at the European Championships.

In the quarter-final, Southgate's team beat Ukraine 4–0 in Rome. This sent them to the semi-finals. In the semi-final, England beat Denmark 2–1 at Wembley. They reached the final of the European Championships for the first time.

In the final at Wembley, England scored early. But Italy equalised. The game went to penalties, and England lost 3–2.

Road to 2022 World Cup

In September 2021, England reached their highest ever FIFA ranking of 3rd. In November 2021, Southgate led England to World Cup qualification. They won 10–0 against San Marino. A week later, he signed a new contract to stay as England manager until December 2024.

In June 2022, England played in the UEFA Nations League. They drew three matches and lost three. This included a 4–0 defeat to Hungary. This was England's worst home defeat since 1928. In September 2022, England was relegated to League B after losing to Italy.

2022 World Cup Performance

England won their group at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They beat Iran and Wales, and drew with the United States. In the round of 16, England beat Senegal 3–0.

They reached the quarter-finals, where they lost 2–1 to France. After this defeat, Southgate thought about leaving his role. However, in December 2022, the FA confirmed he would stay until after UEFA Euro 2024.

UEFA Euro 2024 and Departure

On 17 October 2023, England qualified for UEFA Euro 2024 with two games left. During the qualification, England beat Italy at home and away for the first time in many years. England finished top of their group, staying unbeaten all year.

In the tournament, England won Group C. They qualified for the knockout rounds with 5 points. Southgate and his team faced criticism from fans and experts. This was especially after a 1–1 draw with Denmark. Southgate said he ignored the criticism. A goalless draw with Slovenia saw England top their group. But the team was booed, and Southgate was hit with objects from the crowd. He understood fans' frustration but felt the negativity hurt the players.

In the round of 16, England beat Slovakia. Jude Bellingham scored a late equaliser. Harry Kane then scored the winner in extra time. After the game, Southgate said the team was "putting plasters over things." England's quarter-final against Switzerland ended in a 1–1 draw. England then won the penalty shootout, scoring all five attempts. Southgate said he had to enjoy moments like that. He added that despite personal criticism, they were "fighting and not going to stop fighting."

In the semi-final against the Netherlands, England won 2–1. Xavi Simons scored for the Dutch early on. Harry Kane equalised with a penalty. Substitute Ollie Watkins scored a late winner for England. England then lost the final 2–1 to Spain. Mikel Oyarzabal scored a late winner for Spain.

After the final, Southgate did not say if he would renew his contract. Former England captain Alan Shearer said Southgate could leave "with his head held high." He had improved England's results since their low point at UEFA Euro 2016. But Shearer felt he "wasn't quite able to get the best out of this team in Germany."

Two days after the final, Southgate resigned as England manager. He said it had been "the honour of my life" to play for and manage England. He felt it was "time for change, and for a new chapter." He managed England for 102 games in total.

Other Work

In 2003, Southgate wrote a book with his friend Andy Woodman. It was called Woody & Nord: A Football Friendship. The book won an award in 2004. He wrote another book, Anything Is Possible: Be Brave, Be Kind & Follow Your Dreams, published in November 2020.

Southgate also worked as a football commentator for ITV Sport. He covered games at the 2006 World Cup. After leaving Middlesbrough in 2009, he became a pundit. He commented on FA Cup and Champions League matches.

In 2011, Southgate became the FA's head of elite development. He left this role in 2012.

Southgate supports charities like The Prince's Trust and Help for Heroes.

After leaving his England manager role, Southgate became a visiting lecturer at Harvard Business School. His third book, Dear England: Lessons on Leadership, will be published in October 2025.

Management Style

Southgate's management style for England has been praised. People say he helped players feel strong and created a positive team spirit. He is also known for bringing young players from England's youth teams into the senior squad.

As England manager, Southgate often changed the team's formation. He used different setups like 4–3–3, 4–2–3–1, 3–4–3, and 3–5–2. The formation used at the 2018 World Cup was unique.

Some people criticised Southgate's team for being too "safe" or "cautious." He was also criticised for his decisions during games. Some commentators also said he picked players who were not in good form, suggesting he showed "favouritism."

Personal Life

Gareth Southgate married Alison Bird in July 1997. They have two children. The Southgate family lives in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. They have owned several homes in the area.

Southgate was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2019. This was for his services to football. In November 2019, he was named an Honorary Yorkshireman. This award is for people who have greatly impacted Yorkshire but were not born there.

In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Southgate agreed to take a 30% pay cut. In December 2024, Southgate was appointed a Knight Bachelor.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances

International Appearances

Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Southgate goal

List of international goals scored by Gareth Southgate

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	14 October 1998	Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg	Luxembourg	3–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
2	22 May 2003	Kings Park Stadium, Durban, South Africa	South Africa	1–0	2–1	Friendly

Managerial Record

Awards and Honours

As a Player

Crystal Palace

• Football League First Division: 1993–94

Aston Villa

• Football League Cup: 1995–96
• FA Cup runner-up: 1999–2000

Middlesbrough

• Football League Cup: 2003–04
• UEFA Cup runner-up: 2005–06

England

• Tournoi de France: 1997

Individual Awards

• Premier League Player of the Month: January 2000

As a Manager

England U21

• Toulon Tournament: 2016

England

• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2020, 2024
• UEFA Nations League third place: 2018–19

Individual Awards

• Premier League Manager of the Month: August 2008
• BBC Sports Personality of the Year Coach Award: 2018 and 2021
• FWA Tribute Award: 2019

State Honours

• Officer of the Order of the British Empire: 2019
• Knight Bachelor: 2025

See also

In Spanish: Gareth Southgate para niños

• National team managers with 100 or more games
• England national football team manager