
Former England manager Gareth Southgate will receive a knighthood at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, joining the ceremony among other honor recipients.
The 54-year-old football manager earned recognition for his services to association football in the New Year Honours, following his leadership of England to consecutive European Championship finals in 2020 and 2024, as well as the 2018 World Cup semi-finals.
Southgate becomes the fourth England manager to receive a knighthood, joining Sir Walter Winterbottom, Sir Alf Ramsey, and Sir Bobby Robson in this distinction.
Sir Gareth stepped down from his position after eight years in charge, following England’s 2-1 final defeat to Spain in July. Thomas Tuchel subsequently took over the role.
Following the December announcement, Southgate shared his response on social media, humorously noting that his family would be unlikely to address him as “Sir.” He stated, “It has been the greatest honor to represent my country as both a player and a manager for some 20 years and to be part of the game I love for almost 40. I am incredibly thankful for the amazing people and teams who have supported me both on and off the field.”
He added, “A special thank you to my family for their constant love and encouragement, though I must admit they’ve made it clear that the titles I hold at home will remain unchanged.”
Sir Gareth’s playing career spanned from 1995 to 2004, earning 57 caps for England and participating in three major tournaments, including the 1998 World Cup. His 16-year club career saw him make over 600 appearances, primarily as a defender for Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, and Middlesbrough.
After being dismissed as Middlesbrough manager, Southgate joined the Football Association in February 2011 as head of elite development. He progressed to coaching the under-21 team before his initial temporary appointment as England manager in September 2016.
Under his management, England reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, during which Southgate’s waistcoat became a notable fashion trend. The team subsequently reached their first men’s final in 55 years at Euro 2020, which was delayed by COVID-19, but lost on penalties to Italy at Wembley. Three years later, England again fell short of silverware with a late defeat to Spain.
Sir Gareth managed 102 matches and holds the distinction of being the only England men’s manager to guide the team to two major tournament finals.
Speaking at the University of London in March, he reflected on how football had provided him with “belief and resilience” that had “picked me up when I’ve been down, grounded me in success, and given me purpose amidst the noise of public life.”
Southgate previously received an OBE for his football services in the 2019 New Year Honours.
British and Irish Lions wing Gerald Davies will also receive a knighthood at the ceremony for his contributions to rugby union and voluntary charitable service in Wales. The 80-year-old represented Wales for 12 years during the 1960s and 1970s, winning three Grand Slams, and served as Welsh Rugby Union president from 2019 to 2023.
Davies expressed his emotional response to the honor, telling PA news agency, “I feel very emotional about it. I am surprised by it. Words are really quite inadequate to describe it. It comes out of the blue. I was dumbstruck in many ways, but you don’t achieve these things on your own.”
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