England: Gareth Southgate already has a 'pretty good idea' about future after Euro 2024 final

Gareth Southgate says he will need "a few days" to decide his future after Sunday's European Championship final but already has "a pretty good idea" of his decision.

The Football Association want Southgate to stay on as England manager for the 2026 World Cup, irrespective of the result against Spain in Berlin this weekend.

The 53-year-old's contract is up in December, allowing for a period of reflection after the Euros, but Southgate says he will not "need weeks" to make up his mind.

Asked if he knew whether the final would be his last game in charge, Southgate said: "No.

"The way my emotions have gone over the last five weeks, it would be ridiculous for me to think about anything beyond Sunday.

"We've got time to make decisions. I won't need weeks. But also, I think I've earned the right to give myself a few days to think things through.

gareth southgate

"I know where it would have been if we'd gone out in the group stage, that's for sure! I've a pretty good idea in my head [now]."

Asked if he would have walked away if England had crashed out in the group, Southgate added: "I don't think it would necessarily be my choice!"

If Southgate signs a new contract and leads England in the USA, Canada and Mexico in two years' time, he would surpass a decade in the impossible job.

He named a new-look squad for this summer's Euros in Germany, with 13 of the 26 players at their first major tournament, and believes England have the foundation of a group that can play in the next two major finals.

But, having lost the last Euros final to Italy three years ago, Southgate urged his players to take their opportunity against Spain on Sunday night.

"When you look at the age profile of the team, there are a lot of parts there that are going to be there for a long time – the World Cup in two years, a Euros at home in four years," Southgate said. "But that doesn't necessarily mean it's just going to happen.

"Other countries will progress, not all of ours might progress. That's why you have to take these moments when they come.

"After the last [Euros] final, of course we were saying we want to learn from this, we want to come back from this. But then the next [tournament, the 2022 World Cup] we were out in the quarters, and you couldn't be certain we'd be in this position now.

"Yes, without doubt the potential is there. Yes, the team isn't at the end of a cycle, which we never wanted to happen.

"We've always tried to keep blooding young players. If anything I wasn't sure how that would go: the likes of Kobbie [Mainoo] going in for the first time, [Marc] Guehi going into a first tournament, others coming off the bench very young.

"But they've risen to that challenge brilliantly and played so, so well."