Important competitions provide a good gauge of England’s development under Southgate. The challenge now is to attempt and win one this summer, or else you run the risk of being known as the almost men for all time.
Regular runs to the latter stages of the major championships have replaced the days of humiliation under Roy Hodgson, when England could not even get out of their group at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and were subsequently disgraced by underdogs Iceland at the Euros two years later.
Although England’s two Wembley friendlies ended in a draw with Belgium and a loss to Brazil, they were largely fact-finding trips meant to solidify Southgate’s ideas ahead of announcing his 23-man Germany roster.
Although Southgate’s detractors persist, there is a compelling counterargument that he has managed England more successfully than any other manager since Sir Alf Ramsey, the 1966 World Cup winner.
Following their defeat by holders France in the World Cup quarterfinal in Qatar in 2022, England advanced to its first World Cup semifinal in 28 years in Russia and the final of the 2020 European Championship.
Everything is going well up to the harsh realization that failure was the common denominator of everything.
