Arise Sir Gareth
Gareth Southgate is expected to receive a knighthood if England are triumphant in winning Euro 2024 as reported by the Telegraph.
Meanwhile Harry Kane could be handed an upgrade to his current MBE should he lift the trophy in Berlin.
Reports say Southgate was close to being offered a knighthood after the last Euros which saw England lost on penalties to Italy, narrowly miss out on winning England’s first trophy since 1966.
SIR Gareth Southgate
— They Think Kits All Over (@TheyThinkKits) June 30, 2024pic.twitter.com/nUsffZ5DiV
However, talks to hand Southgate a knighthood ended when a debate arose over the manager’s involvement in a film investment scheme HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) had challenged over tax avoidance rules.
Southgate was said to have immediately fix the tax issue after it was brought to light.
The Government’s website said that “poor tax behaviour is not consistent with the award of an honour,” however, winning the whole tournament would have likely trumped this issue.
The 53-year-old received an OBE in 2019 after England had made their first World Cup semi-final since 1990.
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Southgate has now led England to a World Cup semi-final, a Euros final and now a Euros semi-final as well as England’s penalty shoot-out win over Switzerland win being his 100th game in charge.
The only two managers ahead of him are both knighted, Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Walter Winterbottom.
All these factors combined means that sources with an understanding of the honours system believe Southgate will be in line for an honour, potentially regardless of even if England fail to win their semi-final tonight.
Kane, who has captained England during the last four major tournaments, received an MBE after winning the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup, and could be in line to see an upgrade on his MBE to an OBE.
Gareth Southgate was LOVING it at full time!
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 6, 2024#Euro2024 | @England pic.twitter.com/c3THaTD0lq
England’s highest-ever scorer has 65 goals, 13 of which from World Cups and Euros, and is soon to become only the 10th man to be capped 100 times by The Three Lions.
A list of honours is expected to be announced by the exiting PM, Rishi Sunak, as is tradition to do so.
However, the new PM, Sir Kier Starmer, could equally refuse honours to people on this list as has happened before between the handover of John Major to Tony Blair.
Only time will tell who will win on the pitch as well as off it.
England face the Netherlands tonight at 8pm.
