Next England boss? Gary Lineker puts shock name in the frame – with Chelsea legend backed to succeed Gareth Southgate regardless of final outcome for Three Lions at Euro 2024

Southgate has arguably been England's most successful manager in the 21st century, despite not having won a trophy. With the 53-year-old's current Three Lions contract set to end in December of this year, the FA has been hard at work identifying possible replacements. BBC pundits Lineker and Micah Richards have put forward the name of Chelsea and Three Lions legend Frank Lampard - regardless of how Euro 2024 ends this summer. Lampard has been a fellow pundit on the BBC, with Lineker and Richards clearly impressed with the former Chelsea and Everton boss.

Speaking on the 'The Rest Is Football' podcast, Lineker said: "This will be Gareth Southgate’s last tournament, I think, whatever happens. If he wins, I think he’ll absolutely bow out.

"And if he doesn’t then I think he’ll bow out. It’ll be his decision. But I wouldn’t disregard Frank Lampard. I think he tactically gets it. I think the players will respect him immediately. I’m getting ahead of things here. I think he’s been a bit unlucky in his managerial career in some ways. I think he gets it tactically."

Former Manchester City and England defender Richards echoed those claims, saying: “When he went to Derby, I think the feeling was he played really good football, but it should have got them up. He went to Chelsea [during] the transfer embargo and still managed to get top four, with all the bringing the young players through, [Tammy] Abraham, [Mason] Mount, etc. etc. Then he went to Everton, kept them up. It wasn’t the great style of play, but it utilised what he had available to him. He goes, obviously, back to Chelsea. I think that was the one where people were judging him.”

He then praised Lampard's tactical prowess by praising the Chelsea legend's analysis during the BBC's coverage of the Euros: "Frank’s analysis was about three minutes. And, normally, if someone goes that deep, after maybe two minutes, you’ve lost interest. But I was glued to it for three minutes. And you can tell he’s just got something. He’s articulate. The way he explains points. You can tell there’s a manager there inside of him."

While Lampard does not have the best record to back himself, the FA seems short on names at the moment to take over from Southgate ahead of his potential departure. That could bring the Chelsea legend into play despite not having been a coach since 2023.