Gary Lineker ‘expects’ England’s Euro 2024 final defeat against Spain will represent Gareth Southgate’s last match in charge of the Three Lions.
Cole Palmer’s equaliser looked destined to send a tight encounter to extra-time but another super-sub, Mikel Oyarzabal, proved the matchwinner with four minutes remaining when he converted Marc Cucurella’s pinpoint cross.
Once the dust has settled on a second successive European Championship final defeat, the attention will turn to the manager’s future.
England suffer Euro 2024 final heartbreak to Spain – as it happened
Southgate’s current deal expires at the end of the calendar year and talks with the Football Association have long been planned but Lineker anticipates it will be a straightforward decision for the 53-year-old.
He said: ‘These moments are for Spain and they’re enjoying themselves. As for Gareth Southgate I suspect this might be his last game in management.
‘What he has brought to this England team is a harmony, a likeability that I think has reengaged the English public towards football.’
It was another bitter pill to swallow for Southgate and his skipper Harry Kane who was taken off on the hour mark after another sub-par display.
The Bayen Munich star lasted only an hour before he was replaced by semi-final hero Ollie Watkins and England immediately looked a better team.
Lineker, who heavily criticsed Kane during the group stages, argued that Southgate’s tactics were to blame for the struggles England’s record goalscorer experienced.
He added: ‘I think it’s so difficult for Harry Kane to play in a team that plays with a low block because I think the one thing Harry doesn’t do is spin behind people.
It’s difficult and it doesn’t suit his style of play. If you’re going to play that way you need to play two people up alongside him like he did when he was at Tottenham and maybe Dele Alli in his prime.’