England v Spain: LIVE reaction with five candidates considered if Southgate resigns after Euro 2024 final loss | OneFootball

✕

Close

Spain lift Euro 2024 trophy after win against England

England fell at the final hurdle once more as Spain won a tightly-contested Euro 2024 final in Berlin to raise questions about the future of manager Gareth Southgate after four tournaments in charge.

Speculation has begun that Southgate will move on before the 2026 World Cup and there are new candidates emerging as to who will replace him with former Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp and current Newcastle manager Eddie Howe on the wishlist.

The FA may be looking for a manager with a more attacking philosophy to fully unlock a talented squad and build on the platform created by the current Three Lions boss, after he led them from the doldrums of a humiliating Euro 2016 loss to Iceland to consistently competing at the business end of tournaments.

The Three Lions came so close to glory at the last Euros, losing to Italy in a heartbreaking penalty shootout at Wembley, and fell behind in Berlin as Nico Williams gave Spain the lead before Jordan Pickford was forced into a stunning save to deny Lamine Yamal.

Show latest update

1721085300

Gareth Southgate shows same old shortcomings as England reach limit against Spain

The Henri Delaunay trophy indeed goes home, as Spain have now won it for a record fourth time. England’s years of hurt will go to 60 years, and at least the 2026 World Cup in America. Whether Gareth Southgate will still be there remains to be seen, after a defeat that was respectable but still reflected something bigger.

England, for the second tournament in succession, were beaten by the better team.

This wasn’t like Italy at Wembley in Euro 2020 in terms of a lost opportunity, but it was another lost game against the first elite side that Southgate’s team played. England are both so close, and yet still far away. The scoreline said enough, at a narrow 2-1, as substitute Mikel Oyarzabal scored by staying onside by a matter of centimetres. It is almost worse that it was so close. If Oyarzabal was an unlikely hero, Spain are far from unlikely champions. They have been the team of the tournament and deserving winners, both on the night and through the campaign. They really could have won by more.

Gareth Southgate shows same old shortcomings as England reach limit against Spain

Spain 2-1 England: Mikel Oyarzabal’s late goal snatched a deserved victory as Gareth Southgate’s side fell just short once again

Mike Jones16 July 2024 00:15