Wednesday was a night to remember for Gareth Southgate as the England manager led his nation to a second consecutive European Championship final.
And for the first time in the knockout stage, the Three Lions did not need extra time to overcome their opponent, beating the Netherlands 2-1 in the semifinals in normal time thanks to Ollie Watkins' stoppage-time winner.
With that, Southgate became the first England manager to lead the 1966 FIFA World Cup winners to a major tournament final on foreign soil — both the 1966 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2020 were staged in England.
However, the story of the Three Lions' tournament has been that of criticism, with the manager receiving disparagement both from the fans and in the media.
The 53-year-old was asked about this topic during his post-match press conference, which sparked an emotional response from the often calm and composed tactician. Gareth stressed the immense pride he feels in leading his country to another final but opened up about the difficulty of not being loved back by his nation.
"We all want to be loved, right? When you're doing something for your country, you're a proud Englishman – you don't feel that back and all you read is criticism, it's hard," Southgate said.
"To be able to celebrate a second final is very special. If I had not been on the grass, I would have been watching and celebrating like (the fans) were."
Check out his full response in the video below.
Despite Wednesday's emotions, the focus must quickly shift to the fast-approaching Euro 2024 final. That game will see Harry Kane and Co. lock horns with Spain on Sunday at the Olympiastadion.
La Roja have been the most exciting team of the tournament, beating Italy, Germany, and France en route to the final — no team in history have beaten those three European giants in regular time in a single major tournament.
As a result, the Three Lions will be in for a tough time this weekend. However, with Southgate rumored to leave after this tournament, the manager will want to guide England to a first European Championship title in possibly his last match in charge.
