Gareth Southgate is right to walk away: England need a new direction after another glorious failure at Euro 2024

In the end, football did sort of go home. Mikel Oyarzabal's 86th-minute strike gave Spain their fourth European Championship title - putting them above Germany as the most successful team in the tournament's history. The notion that England had a divine right to the Henri Delaunay Trophy felt more ludicrous with each passing minute, as the gulf in quality between the two teams became clear, and the only disappointment for Spain will be the fact they didn't win by a far more comprehensive scoreline.

Yes, England did a fine job of stifling Luis de la Fuente's side in the first half, but they offered very little threat in the final third themselves. It was another example of Southgate's apparent reluctance to take the game to the opposition, with discipline prioritised above creative expression.

Southgate may even have felt the stars were aligning when Spain lost star midfielder Rodri to injury at the interval, but that illusion of comfort was quickly stripped away. Athletic Club winger Nico Williams burst into life upon the restart, and fired La Roja in front with a superb first-time finish after being teed up perfectly by his history-making partner Lamine Yamal, who celebrated his first day as a 17-year-old in some style.

Spain took full control thereafter, and only some wasteful finishing prevented them from running away with the game. However, as had been the case in all six of their previous games, England dug deep, while Southgate was actually proactive with his substitutions for a change, introducing Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer in a bid to turn the tide.

Just as they did in the semi-final win against the Netherlands, both men gave England a much-needed injection of pace and guile, with Palmer making the decisive impact this time around, firing in a superb long-range equaliser after a clever Jude Bellingham assist. Spain were shell-shocked, and the Three Lions should have gone for the jugular. But as we are all well aware of by now, Southgate just isn't built that way.

No one could begrudge Spain the winning goal when it eventually came, with substitute Oyarzabal expertly steering a Marc Cucurella cross past Jordan Pickford in the England net after some more slack defending from Kyle Walker. Unlike three years ago against Italy at Wembley, this defeat didn't come down to fine margins; England were simply beaten by a far better team.

That's not to say that Spain have more talent at their disposal, though. Harry Kane, Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham were arguably the best players in the Bundesliga, Premier League and La Liga, respectively, last season. Southgate could also call on Arsenal's talismanic winger Bukayo Saka and new-found set-piece expert Declan Rice, with Palmer, Watkins, Ivan Toney and Anthony Gordon waiting in the wings among the substitutes.

Spain don't have that kind of attacking depth, nor do any of the other nations that competed at the tournament. But England didn't make the most of their advantage. Those players didn't do what they do week in, week out for their clubs, and Southgate has to take a lot of the blame for that.

The manager's cautious mentality rubs off on the squad, and his lack of tactical nous inspires confusion. England didn't have any clear patterns of play, and instead relied on individual moments to reach a second successive Euros final.

The Three Lions finished up 10th in the expected goals (xG) table, and before the final, they were in the same position for shots on target. Southgate didn't maximise the potential of the group, plain and simple. He's instilled a real team spirit, which had been lacking for decades, but he didn't know how to turn England into winners.

Many of England's household names were guilty of underperforming in Germany, but none more so than Kane. Although the Bayern Munich striker did somehow win a share of the Golden Boot with three goals, he was the weakest link for the Three Lions, failing to lead the press, hold the ball up or indeed have any real involvement in general play.

When Kane made way for Watkins on the hour-mark against Spain, most supporters would have reacted with a huge sigh of relief. “Physically it has been tough for him," Southgate admitted after the game. "He came into the tournament short on games and has not quite reached the level we all would have hoped."

But why did he start the final if he wasn't fit? And all of England's previous matches? Watkins, Toney and Palmer all showed far more in cameo appearances than Kane had across 545 minutes in Germany, but the captain still got the nod, which is unforgivable.

Southgate's blind loyalty to Kane held England back. It's not the first time the manager stuck with one of his favourites despite overwhelming clamour for a change, either. Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling, Kalvin Phillips and Harry Maguire also enjoyed a similar standing in the squad at previous tournaments, with Southgate always stressing the need for "continuity".

It's entirely possible that Kane's powers are on the wane as he rapidly approaches his 31st birthday. But if Southgate had stayed on, the former Tottenham star would be practically guaranteed another starring role at the World Cup in North America in two years' time. Starting for England has to be a merit-based privilege, and for that reason above all others, Southgate needed to step away before a fifth major tournament.

Euro 2024 will go down as another massive missed opportunity. Southgate has the second-best win percentage of any England boss since Sir Alf Ramsey, and he's the only man to ever reach two major finals, but he once again benefitted from a favourable draw in Germany.

Spain beat the likes of Italy, Croatia, Germany and France en route to the Berlin showpiece, while England edged past Serbia, Slovakia and one of the worst Netherlands teams in recent history. When they finally came up against a world-class outfit, the Three Lions were all too easily tamed.

It was the same story at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, where Croatia and France, respectively, outclassed England in the latter stages. In the Euro 2020 final they were at least a match for Italy in the quality stakes, but the Azzurri's superior mental strength proved to be the difference.

“It is incredibly tough for players, for England fans, for us because it feels like a never-ending story where we just can’t get over the line,” former Three Lions and Manchester United defender Gary Neville said on ITV Sport.

Supporters won't put up with another tournament like this one; England's run was more agonising and exasperating than enjoyable. Some of the abuse Southgate has faced over the past month has been inexcusable, but it would have only gotten worse if he had stubbornly clung onto his post.

When asked about his future in the immediate aftermath of Sunday's defeat, Southgate replied to BBC Sport: "Now is not the time for me to speak about that. I need to talk to the right people and give myself a bit of time." He added: "England are in a really good position in terms of the experience they have. Most of this squad will be around for the next World Cup and maybe the next Euros. There’s a lot to look forward to, but at this moment, it’s not any consolation."

Southgate's use of the word "they" instead of "we" suggested he was considering the possibility of resigning. The temptation to carry on and try to end 60 years of hurt for England at the 2026 World Cup would have been strong, because otherwise he will be remembered as the ultimate nearly-man. He has realised, however, that he's taken the squad as far as he can.

Kane, Rice and Bellingham were been among those to stand up for Southgate amid widespread hostility at the Euros, which is testament to the unity he created in the dressing room. But most people on the outside believed the Southgate era had reached its natural end before Tuesday's announcement.

"I think he's been the right person to bring the nation together in terms of the football team," Gary Lineker said on the latest episode of his popular podcast 'The Rest Is Football'. "And, now, maybe it's time for someone else with a more modern, attacking style of football. Because I think the game's gone away from being successful if you're really defensive."

Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand declared on the BBC: "You have to look at what talent pool we have and I don't feel like we are putting them in the best position possible."

Southgate risked undoing a lot of his hard work if he had stayed on. But by acknowledging his limitations and passing the mantle, he has put England's future first: a selfless act which cements his status as a legend in his homeland.

The Football Association reportedly wanted Southgate to remain in charge beyond the end of his contract, which had been due to expire in December. He's been the perfect frontman for the FA up to this point: a well-mannered, conservative coach who rarely airs any of his internal frustration or concern in public.

They could also point to his unrivalled record in the face of any criticism, and the lack of suitable English candidates waiting in the wings to potentially replace him. Graham Potter is reportedly a leading contender, but it's difficult to see fans welcoming the former Chelsea boss with open arms given how badly his first taste of management at the highest level went.

Eddie Howe would have been first in line a year ago, but his stock has dropped considerably after a disappointing 2023-24 campaign with Newcastle, while current England Under-21s boss Lee Carsley has no experience as a head coach to speak of. There are, however, plenty of options in the foreign manager pool right now, including two Premier League icons.

Jurgen Klopp is available after calling time on his nine-year reign at Liverpool, while Pep Guardiola is into the final year of his contract at Manchester City. It feels like England need someone of that ilk to reach the next level.

Southgate has given England supporters plenty of great memories, but progress was no longer being made. Familiarity breeds contempt, and the national team environment could have become toxic again if he hadn't done the right thing. It's time for a new face to take on football's "impossible job".