Gareth Southgate reveals how he spent World Cup as former England manager says ‘a lot has happened’

GARETH SOUTHGATE has offered a glimpse into how he spent his first World Cup since resigning as England boss. The former Three Lions manager, 55, chose to stay out of the public eye during the tournament and rejected punditry roles as he thought it might harm the team’s chances of victory. Gareth Southgate jetted out to New York this summer Credit: Instagram The former England boss also had a day out in the Royal Box at Wimbledon Credit: Instagram England were knocked out in a semi-final defeat by Argentina which opened Southgate’s successor, Thomas Tuchel, up to fierce criticism. Southgate, who was still on the touchline when England went to the quarter-finals in Qatar four years ago, watched the North American tournament from afar. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Although it wasn’t that far, as part of the Instagram slideshow he posted on Thursday featured snaps from New York. The pictures were captioned: “A lot has happened over the past couple of months, mixing business with pleasure. “I’ve had the chance to meet some incredible people, work on some exciting projects, and, most importantly, enjoy some quality downtime with the family. Grateful for it all!” Southgate’s snaps included him taking in applause from the Royal Box at Wimbledon and posing on the corner of a Manhattan street. He was also seen giving a motivational talk on stage, enjoying a drink in the exclusive Harvard Club and chatting with Prince William. It was quite a change of pace from the way Southgate spent some of his summers during eight years in charge of England. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Southgate enjoyed a drink at the exclusive Harvard Club in New York Credit: Instagram Southgate says he has been ‘mixing business with pleasure’ Credit: Instagram Southgate has also been taking his opportunity to spend more time with family Credit: Instagram Southgate was linked with a handful of high-profile jobs after stepping down in 2024 following England’s second consecutive defeat in a Euros final. But he suggested last year that his career as a head coach is probably over. He told BBC Radio 4: “I’ve had one of the most incredible jobs in football which also had a higher purpose because it was my country. “That’s going to be very hard to replicate. Having had 37 years in football I’m enjoying finding other areas where I think I might be able to make a difference.” Comment now