Lee Carsley appointed interim England head coach following Gareth Southgate departure as FA explain decision to hand Under-21s boss the reins

Former Everton midfielder Carsley had been in charge of the U21s since July 2021, famously guiding the Young Lions to European Championship glory in 2023. He replaces Southgate, who stepped down after eight memorable years in charge following the England's defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024 last month.

The 50-year-old will take charge of England's upcoming Nations League games against Ireland and Finland, but he could remain in the post thereafter as the FA continue their extensive search for a permanent replacement for Southgate. Carsley is in the frame for the job alongside the likes of Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, and he will be desperate to impress in the interim period in the knowledge his predecessor followed the same path to landing the senior role.

In a statement, Carsley said: "It’s an honour to step up and lead this England squad on an interim basis. As I am very familiar with the players and the cycle of international football, it makes sense for me to guide the team while the FA continues the process to recruit a new manager. My main priority is to ensure continuity and our goal is to secure promotion in the Nations League."

Explainining the decision to appoint Carsley, Mark Bullingham, FA CEO, said: “Lee is a fantastic coach who is well known to the majority of our current senior squad having worked with most at international or club level. He offers us a very strong interim solution and we are confident he will perform well in the UEFA Nations League games ahead. We are grateful to Lee for stepping up to manage the team while we continue with our recruitment process.”

Carsley's first match at the helm will come away against Ireland - the nation he represented at international level - on September 7. The Three Lions will then face Finland three days later at Wembley in UEFA Nations League B Group 2, with Greece the other side in their pool.