Former England manager, Gareth Southgate, is set to be knighted in the 2025 New Year Honours, becoming the fourth Three Lions boss to receive this prestigious recognition.
He will join the ranks of Sir Walter Winterbottom, Sir Alf Ramsey, and Sir Bobby Robson.
The 54-year-old will be honoured for his transformative influence on English football during his eight-year tenure as national team manager, a period widely regarded as one of the most successful in recent history.
According to The Sun, the knighthood for services to sport will be formally conferred in early 2025.
Appointed in late 2016 under challenging circumstances following Sam Allardyce’s resignation, Southgate inherited a demoralised squad but quickly rejuvenated English football. His leadership brought pride back to fans after years of disappointment.
Under Southgate, England reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, their best performance since 1990.
The team secured third place in the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019 and made consecutive appearances in the European Championship finals.
England came agonisingly close to triumph in the delayed Euro 2020 final but lost to Italy in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Southgate’s tenure concluded with a narrow 2-1 loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, marking the end of a transformative era.
Awarded an OBE in 2019, Southgate’s impending knighthood is a fitting tribute to a career defined by dignified leadership, innovation, and success both on and off the pitch.
A source close to the Honours Committee told The Sun: “Gareth is a football legend who achieved great things this year.
He inspired a nation, reignited belief in the Three Lions, and brought the team to the brink of success time and time again.”
Southgate’s knighthood will place him alongside England’s most iconic footballing figures.
He will join Sir Walter Winterbottom, the national team’s first manager; Sir Alf Ramsey, the mastermind behind England’s 1966 World Cup victory; and Sir Bobby Robson, who guided the team to the 1990 World Cup semi-finals, as the only England managers to receive this prestigious honour.
While some critics have questioned Southgate’s pragmatic style and bemoaned missed opportunities, his broader impact is undeniable. His leadership reshaped England’s international reputation, instilling a culture of discipline, unity, and renewed hope.
After stepping down this summer following another near-miss in a major tournament, Southgate’s legacy as one of the most transformative figures in English football remains secure.
With letters confirming the Honours Committee’s decisions already sent, Southgate is set to take his place among the greats of English football— a well-deserved tribute to a career devoted to the beautiful game.
