‘I’m not sure I’ll wear a waistcoat again’ jokes Southgate on England return

Gareth Southgate joked that he might never wear a waistcoat again after he unveiled his first England squad since he guided the team to a World Cup semi-final in Russia.

The England manager’s dress sense became a talking point over the summer with Marks & Spencer reporting a 35% increase in waistcoat sales thanks to what it called “the Gareth Southgate effect”.

However, asked which kind of waistcoat he would wear for the Nations League match against Spain a week on Saturday, the England manager replied: “I’m not sure I’ll ever wear a waistcoat again.

“We only have one option with the current sponsorship agreement. But I’ll make a decision based on the weather.”

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The popularity of Southgate’s waistcoat earned him a reputation as one of the more stylish managers at the 2018 World Cup – leading some to call him a style icon.

That reputation is a marked improvement on how he was viewed after Euro 96, when his missed penalty against Germany sent England out of the tournament – leading to him starring in an advert for Pizza Hut mocking his mistake.

The manager says the reaction to England’s World Cup performance – and his subsequently increased profile – has been far better. “It’s been more enjoyable than 20 years ago, when I was almost as famous.”