Gareth Southgate: Declan Rice and Jordan Pickford pay respects after England exit

Declan Rice and Jordan Pickford have paid tribute to Gareth Southgate following his resignation as England manager.

Southgate, who took charge in 2016 after a successful spell with the Under-21 team, led England to four major tournaments. The team reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of Euro 2020, but fell short on both occasions. Despite this, Southgate is widely regarded as one of England’s best ever managers.

Players past and present have expressed their gratitude to Southgate, with Rice and Pickford leading the messages. Rice, who made his debut under Southgate in 2019, thanked the manager for his guidance and the memories he created. Pickford, another key player during Southgate’s tenure, expressed his disappointment and thanked the manager for believing in him.

The CEO of the Football Association, Mark Bullingham, praised Southgate for his achievements, including keeping England in the top-five ranked teams in the world for six years. Bullingham credited Southgate for making the impossible job possible and laying strong foundations for future success.

Former England striker Gary Lineker wished Southgate the best for the future and commended him for bringing pride, respect, and togetherness to the England team. Lineker described Southgate as close to footballing immortality and praised his humility, decency, and dignity.

Gary Neville, who played alongside Southgate at Euro 1996, thanked his former teammate and acknowledged the great job he did as England manager. Jamie Carragher, another former England defender, predicted that Southgate’s successor will have a tough act to follow, considering the team’s achievements under his leadership.

Chris Sutton also praised Southgate, describing him as a class act who can leave his position with his head held high and great pride in his achievements.