He wore a waistcoat, but not *that* waistcoat
Gareth Southgate was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
Prince Charles had the honour of handing the OBE to the England manager, who led the national team to the World Cup semi-final last summer despite relatively low expectations going into the tournament.
The 48-year-old once again donned a waistcoat for the ceremony, after the sight of him on the touchline in the garment became an iconic image for all England fans, and he dedicated the honour to his team while admitting it was never something he expected to achieve.
“I think it’s a privilege to have the role and you hope to improve the team and make a difference, and we are getting better,” he said outside the Palace.
“And I think along the way we’re bringing a lot of enjoyment to people, which is great, so we’ve got to make sure we keep doing that.
“You don’t realise how much it means to people in the country until you experience what we did and what we are experiencing now as the team continues to improve, and that is unique with a national team.
“You’re representing everybody and we take that responsibility very seriously, but also we want everybody to have fun and enjoy the ride as well.”
Southgate also paid tribute to those who helped his education in the game as he now stands at the top of English football.
“It’s a very proud moment,” he added. “I think I’ve been involved in football for 30 years so part of me is proud for everybody that helped me through that whole period and the clubs I served, and the coaches and teachers that helped me.
“Of course I’m aware that the recognition is as much for last summer and the work with the team, so I’m very grateful to all of the players and all the support team that work with me, because I’m here representing them, really.”
