Boris hints Gareth Southgate could be given a knighthood if England win Euros

Gareth Southgate could get a knighthood after his team’s success in the Euros (Pictures: AP / Rex / Getty)

Boris Johnson has hinted the England manager Gareth Southgate could be given a knighthood, in light of the team’s success in Euro 2020.

The Prime Minister, who watched the three lions sneak past Denmark at Wembley last night, praised ‘absolutely outstanding job’ Southgate has done in leading the men’s national football team.

England will play Italy on Sunday in their first major final for 55 years and Southgate has been praised for his actions both on and off the pitch.

Asked if he could learn from the England manager’s leadership style and if it could soon be Sir Gareth, Mr Johnson told broadcasters: ‘I obviously wouldn’t want to anticipate anything that the honours people may decide.

‘But clearly I think Gareth Southgate has done an absolutely outstanding job.

‘What seems so amazing to me is how he varies it, he mixes it up, and plays a different series of options depending on the match in question.’

The Prime Minister wore an England shirt under his suit blazer at the match which he attended alongside his wife Carrie, Prince William and the Danish royal family.

He described the semi-final win as a ‘total nail-biter.’

Mr Johnson attended the match with wife Carrie and called it ‘nail-biting’ (Picture: Reuters)

But, while Mr Johnson is hoping the wave of goodwill England’s progress has produced will help the country recover from the Covid pandemic, he’s come in for criticism from those in the footballing world.

Pundit and former England player Gary Neville criticised the country’s leadership in his praise of the Southgate during ITV’s coverage of the match.

He said: ‘The standard of leaders in this country the past couple of years has been poor, looking at that man (Southgate), he’s everything a leader should be, respectful, humble, he tells the truth.’

Gareth Southgate has been praised for his actions on and off the pitch (Picture: Getty)

England are now just one historic win away from their first major silverware since 1966, with Mr Johnson wishing the national team the ‘very best’ ahead of Sunday’s Euro 2020 final.

Asked about the possibility of a bank holiday on Monday, the Prime Minister said: ‘I think that would be tempting fate, let’s see what happens.’

In excess of 20 million people were predicted to have watched the game on television, with an estimated 10 million pints ordered during the course of the day.

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