Former England manager Gareth Southgate has indicated that he does not intend to return to Premier League club management, revealing that his enthusiasm for football waned towards the end of his tenure with the national team. Southgate, 56, stepped down after England’s defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final and has since distanced himself from the sport.

Southgate, whose only club coaching experience was a nearly three-and-a-half-year spell at Middlesbrough beginning in 2006, said he does not foresee a scenario where he would take on a top-flight managerial role again. During an appearance on The Amol Rajan Connection podcast, he described how he lost the enjoyment that had previously sustained him through wins and losses. "Towards the end of my time with England, I didn’t even enjoy the wins for any longer than a couple of minutes," he said. This diminished enjoyment has contributed to his limited engagement with football since stepping down.

The former England boss revealed that he has not been to a football stadium since watching his boyhood club, Crystal Palace, secure their first FA Cup trophy at Wembley in May 2025. Beyond that occasion, he has largely avoided attending matches or following the game closely.

Southgate reflected on his career and life after football, highlighting that for 37 years his sense of self was closely tied to match outcomes. However, in the 18 months since leaving management, he has pursued a variety of experiences outside the sport. This has included launching a podcast, presenting a BBC documentary focused on the challenges facing young men across the UK, and engaging with figures from politics and media. He described these activities as fulfilling and said he has enjoyed "playing a different film" in his life.

Having managed England for nearly eight years, Southgate came close to guiding the team to their first men's international trophy since the 1966 World Cup but eventually stepped away from the role following the Euro 2024 final loss. His comments signal a clear shift away from coaching ambitions, as he explores other interests and personal development opportunities beyond football.