After the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship final, Prince William shared a heartfelt message. Football manager Gareth Southgate seems to have deeply moved the heir to the throne.
It would have been a historic victory for the English national team: for 58 years, fans and players have dreamt of a title – and on Sunday, July 14, 2024, they came very close. However, this dream was shattered just four minutes before a potential extra time by a 2-1 goal from Spaniard Mikel Oyarzabal, 27. The disappointment was visible on Prince William’s face that evening. The heir to the throne is not only a devoted football fan but also the president of the English Football Association.
Prince William praises football manager Gareth Southgate
On the shared X account (formerly Twitter) of William and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, 42, the family man expressed how much the hard work of the English national team means to him. Above all, the prince thanked manager Gareth Southgate, 53, who had just announced his departure as England’s national team manager. Accompanying a photo of the two, William said two days after the final: “Gareth, I want to thank you – not as President of the @FA, but as an @England fan.”
According to the football-loving William, England owes Southgate for enabling the team to compete “with the best in the world.” He continued: “Thank you for showing humility, compassion, and genuine leadership under the greatest pressure and scrutiny. And thank you for being a class act all around. You should be incredibly proud of what you have achieved.” As usual, the heir to the throne signed the post with his initial “W.”
Gareth, I want to thank you – not as the President of the @FA, but as an @England fan.
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) July 16, 2024
Thank you for creating a team that stands shoulder to shoulder with the world’s finest in 2024. Thank you for showing humility, compassion, and true leadership under the most intense pressure… pic.twitter.com/Fq2ytO4em6
He met with Southgate before every major tournament
Southgate has yet to respond to the future king of England’s praise. His last post on X dates back to April 2015. Similarly, the 53-year-old maintains a low profile on Instagram, with no posts and a private account. Nonetheless, the Briton is likely to have appreciated the prince’s touching words. In a statement from the English Football Association, he explained his resignation just two days after the lost final: “As a proud Englishman, it has been the honor of my life to play for and manage England. It has meant everything to me, and I have given my best. But it is time for change and a new chapter. Sunday’s final in Berlin against Spain was my last game as England manager.”
In October 2022, the two even met in person to discuss the national team’s preparations for the World Cup in Qatar, which began in November that year. Shortly before the start of this year’s European Championship, they met again. In June, Prince William shared a tip from his youngest son, Prince Louis, 6, with the manager, which he believed would surely help the team win the tournament: “The best advice was to eat double the amount you normally would.” Whether that was truly the reason for their loss, Louis may never know.
