'I'm not envious!' - England boss Gareth Southgate reacts to UK election after Labour are elected with historic majority

Labour's triumph in the UK General Election was the topic of conversation as Southgate spoke to the media ahead of England's Euro 2024 quarter-final meeting with Switzerland. Starmer is a keen football fan - an Arsenal supporter - and, like Southgate, now finds himself in a position where a nation holds high expectations.

Starmer's Labour party secured a landslide election win to end 14 years in the political wilderness. Southgate has frequently shown a willingness to discuss non-football matters since he became England manager in 2016, so it was hardly a surprise that he was asked for his thoughts on Starmer's success.

Southgate knows what it's like to work in an extremely demanding job and the England boss joked that he isn't jealous of Starmer's new position.

"I'm not envious of his job," Southgate said, per The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke. "No, I don't have any advice. When you're in a position of responsibility you realise that comes from every direction, everyone has a simple solution to complex problem, I'm sure he’s going to be inundanted with that."

Starmer is backing Southgate's men to overcome their quarter-final opponents on Saturday. "I think they'll beat Switzerland," he also told Virgin Radio.

On what he would say to the players, he added: "I would say, 'just forget where you are in the competition. Forget all the noises off. I have to do this. Just go into a sort of tunnel. Know what you're trying to achieve and just don't listen'."

These Euros haven't been a comfortable ride for Southgate. His tactics have been questioned at every stage of the tournament and it's likely that defeat to Switzerland will bring an end to his spell in charge of England. But the draw has been kind to the Three Lions and there's every chance that their star-studded squad can yet still turn it on, just at the right time.