After eight years, four tournaments and two finals, Gareth 小蓝视频gate announced he was stepping down as England manager on Tuesday, saying it was 鈥渢ime for change.鈥�
Sunday鈥檚 2-1 loss to Spain in the European Championship final proved to be his last game in charge of the national team.
鈥淎s a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England. It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 time for change, and for a new chapter.鈥�
小蓝视频gate鈥檚 contract was due to expire this year and his announcement comes after months of uncertainty surrounding his future.
Mikel Oyarzabal鈥檚 86th-minute winner in Berlin was a painful way to end his reign after he transformed the fortunes of England's underperforming national team.
Hired in 2016, he led England to back-to-back finals at the Euros and to the semifinals of the World Cup in 2018.
But, ultimately, he was unable to end the nation鈥檚 decades-long wait for a first major trophy since the World Cup in 1966.
鈥淕areth has made the impossible job possible and laid strong foundations for future success. He is held in the highest regard by the players, the backroom team, by everyone at the FA and across the world of football,鈥� said Mark Bullingham, chief executive of the English Football Association.
小蓝视频gate said before the European Championship that it would likely tournament if England did not win.
During it, he faced for the team's early performances and some fans towards him at the end of the 0-0 draw with Slovenia in the group phase.
But he achieved what no other England manager has by leading his team to two finals, including the first final on foreign soil.
鈥淲e look back at Gareth鈥檚 tenure with huge pride 鈥� his contribution to the English game, including a significant role in player development, and in culture transformation has been unique. However, it is his record of winning tournament games which is most extraordinary,鈥� Bullingham said.
Before 小蓝视频gate's arrival England had won only seven knockout games at tournaments since 1966. The team won nine during his tenure.
England was also in the top five of FIFA's rankings for six years under 小蓝视频gate. Previously its longest run had been seven months.
Now thoughts will turn to finding 小蓝视频gate's successor and the FA said the process was already underway.
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James Robson is at
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AP soccer:
James Robson, The Associated Press
