Gareth Southgate's best moments as England manager - ranked

Gareth Southgate has resigned as the manager of England, bringing a hugely memorable eight-year spell to an end.

The former defender cited the need 'for change and a new chapter' in wake of the Three Lions' second-successive European Championship final defeat.

Southgate can leave with his head held high and knowing that he created many memories that will last a lifetime for England fans.

Here are the very best of those moments, ranked.

7. Slovakia comeback keeps Euro 2024 dream alive

We'll start where it looked like it could have ended for Southgate.

With 95 minutes on the clock in their last-16 tie with Slovakia, England appeared to be heading for another Iceland-style ending.

The columns had been written and the knives were out. This would have been the Three Lions' biggest failure.

And then up popped Jude Bellingham. With a bloody overhead kick, for crying out loud.

England had given themselves an extra 30 minutes to save their skins, but only needed one more in extra-time to book their spot in the next round, with Harry Kane heading home the winner.

The dream of becoming European champions lived to fight another day.

6. England, the set piece specialists

The first part of Southgate's tenure was typified by marginal gains over individual quality or tactical brilliance. Reports claimed he went to watch other sports to study how England could improve on dead-ball situations.

This led to an influx of goals from corners and free-kicks. At the 2018 World Cup alone, Kane scored a stoppage-time winner against Tunisia, John Stones a brace to pummel on Panama, Harry 'Slabhead' Maguire to break the deadlock against Sweden.

England were tournament-savvy all of a sudden, largely thanks to this new-found prowess. Waistcoats became cool again, on an unrelated note.

5. England, the penalty specialists

England had long been associated with losing their nerve when it came to penalty shootouts.

Bar the Euro 2020 final, Southgate ensured this tag was obsolete, going to concerted efforts on technical and mental levels to ensure the Three Lions no longer feared spot kicks.

Knocking out Colombia in 2018 ignited a new flame and two triumphs against Switzerland - one in the 2019 Nations League finals and then again at Euro 2024 - followed.

4. England eliminate Germany on historic day at Wembley

England's only win at a major tournament against a team that had previously won a World Cup came on Southgate's watch.

For the first time in over a year, fans were allowed back into stadiums en masse. Officially, the attendance was 41,973 at Wembley, but judging by some of the limbs during the 2-0 win, we'd hazard a guess that the actual number was considerably higher.

Raheem Sterling and Kane's late goals, coupled with an uncharacteristic missed sitter from Thomas Muller, gave the country the requisite belief that it was coming home.

3. A first World Cup semi-final in 28 years

The saying 'life peaked when Kieran Trippier scored in a World Cup semi-final' became quite common in the years immediately following England's 2018 exploits.

Defeat to Croatia after extra-time eventually awaited, but boy, just getting to that stage after such drought and disappointment for so many years was a hell of a buzz to live off.

2. Ollie Watkins' 90th-minute winner sends England to Euro 2024 final

England's Euro 2024 run was not based on particularly pretty football or fun matches, but the semi-final against the Netherlands was probably the pinnacle of those ideals this summer.

Southgate's men looked reborn and took their task to the Netherlands. They went a goal down early on following Xavi Simons' screamer, only for Kane to cancel that out from the penalty spot.

The second half was much cagier, but Southgate's two substitutes turned the tide. Cole Palmer fed Ollie Watkins, and the Aston Villa striker produced a goal from nowhere. England were going to Berlin.

1. Leading England to the Euro 2020 final

It shouldn't be forgotten the state of the country when Euro 2020 rolled around one year later than planned.

The world had been starved by the pandemic. The political landscape was more volatile than ever. But here stood a bold and brave England who stood for more than football, who were a voice for good and for change.

The Three Lions were heavy favourites to beat Denmark, but would have to do it the hard way when breakout star Mikkel Damsgaard scored a free-kick from 25 yards.

An own goal levelled the scores, but it wasn't until extra-time when England stepped it up again. Kane's initial 104th-minute penalty was saved, but the rebound was not.

England were into their first major final in 55 years. Celebrations in London and beyond, with coronavirus restrictions relaxed, were wild. The country was one, and Southgate was the architect.

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