Southgate reveals why he stepped back from punditry to avoid distracting Tuchel's England at the World Cup

Gareth Southgate has revealed he deliberately avoided a television punditry role at this summer’s World Cup to prevent himself from becoming a distraction for Thomas Tuchel’s England side.

The 55-year-old, who led England to the Euro 2024 final and Euro 2020 final as well as a World Cup semi-final and quarter-final, posted a good luck message to the squad on Instagram in which he explained his thinking. “This time I took a conscious decision not to do the TV,” Southgate said. “I didn’t think it would be helpful for me to be talking about the team.”

Southgate, who attended the last seven World Cups as a player, broadcaster, scout and manager, said he was wary of his words being weaponised. “I don’t want anything to be misconstrued or thrown at them in press conferences,” he added. “So, best for me to keep out of the way.”

The former England manager stepped down after the Three Lions lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain and has maintained a low profile since, with Tuchel appointed as his successor. Whether Southgate will return to club or international management remains unclear.

Despite his absence from the broadcast coverage, Southgate was keen to express his support for the current squad ahead of their Group L opener against Croatia on Wednesday. “I want to take a moment to say good luck to all the boys,” he said. “All the knockout nights they’ve had means they are going to be full of confidence going into the tournament.”

He pointed to England’s record in high-pressure moments — including penalty shootout victories and deep runs in major tournaments — as grounds for optimism. “We got so close and they are ready to win,” Southgate said. “I am looking forward to watching. I hope everybody has a great one.”