He came agonizingly close to bringing football home and now Gareth Southgate has been awarded a knighthood.
The former England manager will receive this honor following the Three Lions’ glorious run to the European Championship final in Germany this summer.
Sir Gareth’s path to the top New Year Honors job was cleared after an investigation into his tax affairs was dropped earlier this year.
He is joined by dozens of Olympic medalists from Team GB from Paris 2024, including rower Helen Glover, runner Keely Hodkinson and mountain biker Tom Pidcock.
But Southgate’s former teammate David Beckham has once again missed out on the knighthood despite speculation this could finally be his year.
The former England captain lashed out at the Honors Committee in a series of leaked expletive-filled emails in 2013 when he was rejected.
Gareth Southgate has been knighted after eight years in charge of England
Southgate resigned after losing the Euro 2024 final to Spain in July
But he is credited with returning an atmosphere of well-being to the national team.
He has since been on the mend and has grown closer to Prince William and King Charles. The Beckhams’ invitation to the Emir of Qatar’s state banquet last month led some to speculate that this could finally be their year.
But while the 49-year-old’s wait continues, Sir Gareth, 54, has finally been awarded the top honor for his services to association football.
He led England to the finals of Euro 2020 and 2024, as well as the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.
It is understood plans to knight him following the 2020 final defeat against Italy were shelved as he had been placed in “amber” on a “fiscal risk list”.
But tax chiefs ruled he did not breach the rules by investing in a controversial film investment scheme following intense talks between HMRC and Whitehall mandarins earlier this year.
Sir Gareth resigned following the heartbreaking 2-1 final defeat to Spain last July, following an eight-year spell that restored hope to the nation.
Meanwhile, Team GB’s incredible success in Paris, where they won 65 medals, has been recognized with a series of gongs for our heroes.
Keely Hodkinson, 22, wins an MBE after taking gold in the 800 meters to cap an incredible 12 months in which she was also crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Keely Hodgkinson awarded an MBE after winning the women’s 800 meters at the Olympics
Tom Pidcock wins mountain biking gold and is rewarded with an OBE
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Two-time Olympic champion Tom Pidcock, 25, is awarded the OBE title after winning gold in mountain biking.
Rower Helen Glover, 38, receives an OBE after winning bronze in Paris in the women’s pair after winning gold in 2012 and 2016.
Fellow rowers Lola Anderson, 25, Emily Craig, 32, and Dr Imogen Grant, 28, were awarded MBEs, while rower Georgina Brayshaw, 26, who won gold in Paris, gets a MBE.
Swimmer Duncan Scott, 27, Team GB’s most recognized athlete at Tokyo 2020, is awarded an OBE, while gold medalist swimmer William Ellard, 18, is awarded an MBE.
Bronze medalist diving boarder Bryony Page, 34, and sailor Ellie Aldridge, 28, are appointed MBEs.
Gold medalist sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, 29, gets an MBE, as do track cyclists Sophie Capewell, 26, Katy Marchant, 31, and Emma Finucane, 22, and heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, 31.
Also recognized was the Paralympic team, which came second in Paris after winning an incredible 124 medals, including 49 gold.
Hannah Cockroft becomes CBE after winning two more golds at the Paralympic Games
Para swimmer Tully Kearney awarded OBE after tasting glory in Paris
Hannah Cockroft, 32, becomes CBE after coming first in the 100 and 800 meters T34 in the French capital.
There are OBEs for para swimmer Tully Kearney, 27, para sprinter Samantha Kinghorn, 28, para rowers Erin Kennedy, 32, and Lauren Rowles, 26, as well as para swimmer Alice Tai, 25 years old.
Former F1 driver and broadcaster Martin Brundle is awarded the OBE and former Scotland and Liverpool footballer Alan Hansen is awarded the MBE.
Meanwhile, English rugby star Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s father Andrew, a consultant ophthalmologist, is awarded an overseas MBE for International Eyecare services in Malawi and Nigeria.