On July 11th, in the semi-finals of the European Championship, England staged a comeback against the Netherlands with a 2-1 victory, advancing to the final. In an article, the BBC stated that if Southgate leads his team to win the European Championship by defeating Spain, it will dispel all doubts about him.
The BBC wrote: “After England’s draw with Slovenia in the group stage, Southgate faced a barrage of criticism. It seems like a lifetime ago; after Watkins scored the decisive goal, England was wildly celebrating their entry into the European Championship final. The last time England won a title was at the 1966 World Cup, and now the Three Lions are just one match away from ending their trophy drought.”
The BBC then discussed Southgate’s substitutions during the semi-final: “When the game reached the 80th minute with the score still tied at 1-1, everyone was surprised when Southgate replaced captain Kane and Foden with Watkins and Palmer. This proved to be the turning point of the match.”
The BBC indicated that Southgate would face the ultimate challenge: “Since taking over as England’s head coach, Southgate has led the team to fourth place in the 2018 World Cup, runners-up in the 2021 European Championship, and the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup, reaching the finals of this European Championship. This is the second consecutive time Southgate has led the team to the European Championship final, and it is also the first time that England has played a final outside the British Isles. If England’s 58-year title drought can be ended under Southgate’s guidance, he will utterly shatter all doubts.”