Football once again failed to come home last night, with fans all quick to point fingers following the heart-breaking result.
England lost 2-1 to Spain last night (14 July) in the Euro 2024 final, just when all of us thought that maybe, just maybe football was coming home.
Mikel Oyarzabal put the final nail in the England coffin, after substitute Cole Palmer grabbed an equaliser following Spain's Nico Williams great finish that put La Roja 1-0 up two minutes after the half-time break.
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The Three Lions had some life left in them though as Declan Rice saw a late attempt cleared off the line, but it was all too little as England fans will have to wait another two years to see the side challenge for a major trophy again.
A lot of fans and pundits have been quick to shift the blame, with some like Jamie Carragher choosing to point their fingers at the players, while it seems like the majority have turned on Gareth Southgate.
Despite statistically being England's most successful manager since Alf Ramsey, the 53-year-old has been under fire from pundits in particular following the Euro final loss - despite making two finals in their past three tournaments.
The players clearly love him, with fans around the country also being grateful for his contributions to the side, however, many think it may be time for him to move on.
Former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand unloaded on the England boss, saying: “We said after the group stages, if you’re going to play the conservative side of things with the amount of talent we have in this squad, you have to win,
“Otherwise it will come down to it being absolutely dissected and looked at as being a negative approach,
“That falls on the manager’s toes. He sets this team out in a particular way to play."
The 45-year-old added that the players are 'too good' and questioned why the team only started fighting after going a goal down, owing to the substitution of Ollie Watkins for Harry Kane.
However, the pundit with the harshest and most blunt analysis of the game was England's fourth highest top scorer of all-time, Gary Lineker.
The Match of the Day host simply stated: “It is a victory for attacking football.”
Another former England striker on Southgate's case was Alan Shearer, who was also on commentary for the BBC last night.
He thinks the result marks Southgate's final game in charge of the Three Lions, with the side ready to go that extra step further.
“He will know that they haven’t performed. They didn’t have enough energy or quality on the ball,” Shearer said.
“We would have loved to have seen him play more front-foot football. They have had another taste of it but you have to get over the line.
“First is first and the rest are nowhere, I’m afraid.
“I suspect it will be Southgate’s last game. From where he took over and where they are now.”
The former Newcastle player added that regardless of the style of football, you have to 'get over the line' when you reach a final, highlighting that it might be two finals in three years for England, but there are ultimately no wins to show for it.
“That will hurt him and maybe he will think it’s time for someone else,” Shearer concluded.
Topics: Euro 2024, Football, Gareth Southgate, Gary Lineker, Sport
Joshua Nair