Don't scorn Gareth Southgate and his brave players...
England lost to Spain with honour and pride and they are still a generation that does not give up, writes OLIVER HOLT Spain are crown as European champions after beating England 2-1 in Berlin LISTEN: Join us as we debate the BIGGEST talking points on It’s All Kicking Off! EUROS DAILY. Available wherever you get your podcasts By Oliver Holt Published: 17:35 EDT, 14 July 2024 | Updated: 17:35 EDT, 14 July 2024 e-mail View comments When the final whistle went, his players fell to the turf in despair. Gareth Southgate put his hands on his hips for a moment to compose himself.
Then he walked over to the dancing, bouncing group that had Spain coach Luis de la Fuente at its heart. Southgate found a way into the midst of this bundle of jumping joy that was not his, that will almost certainly never be his now with this England team, and found De la Fuente to shake his hand. The two men shared an embrace.
Dignity is Southgate’s way. If, as seems likely, this was his last match in charge of the country he has managed for eight years and more than 100 games, then the fates saved the cruellest cut for his farewell. England have been close before under Southgate but never this close.
Some will pour scorn on Southgate and his brave players because they feel that England should be winning every tournament they take part in but the truth is that they lost with honour and they lost with pride and they lost in the desperate pursuit of ye.
