England manager Gareth Southgate has been awarded an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the New Year Honours list for 2019 while Three Lions captain Harry Kane has received an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).
Southgate receives the honour after a memorable year for the Three Lions which saw them reach the World Cup semi-finals, their best performance at the tournament since 1990.
England also topped their group in November to qualify for the inaugural Nations League finals in Portugal next summer.
“I’m an incredibly proud Englishman so having had the opportunity to have represented my country as a player more than 50 times and then to manage the team at a World Cup has been an absolute privilege,” said Southgate, who succeeded Sam Allardyce, initially on a caretaker basis, in September 2016.
“I hope that everybody that has supported me throughout my career feels pride in the fact that I’ve received this honour because I wouldn’t be in this position without that help and guidance.”
Tottenham striker Kane is awarded an MBE after his six goals in Russia secured the World Cup Golden Boot.
“It’s quite surreal, really,” said the 25-year-old. “It’s been a great year for club and country. It’s hard to put into words really.
“I’m very passionate about our country, very patriotic and going back to England, it shows how good the summer was for the whole nation, not just from my point of view, but what it did bringing everyone together.
“I’m extremely proud to be a part of that and obviously thankful to all my team-mates, all my coaches at Tottenham, England, Mauricio [Pochettino], Gareth, all the staff, the guys as well – without them I wouldn’t be scoring the goals and getting these accolades.”
Other footballers to be awarded honours include Rangers and Northern Ireland defender Gareth McAuley, who is made an MBE, while former Manchester United goalkeeper Harry Gregg, who survived the Munich air disaster in 1958, is awarded an OBE.
Former Arsenal and Football Association chairman David Dein is awarded an MBE while there is a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for outgoing Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.
Former West Ham striker and current Show Racism The Red Card vice-president Leroy Rosenior is appointed an MBE for services to tackling discrimination in sport.
