Didier Deschamps reveals his opinion on Gareth Southgate

December 10, 2022

Didier Deschamps feels that Gareth Southgate has done an excellent job as England manager and that he’s not appreciated enough in his home country.

Southgate is on the verge of taking England into the last four of their third tournament in a row, with only Deschamps’ France side standing in his way.

The former defender has been the most successful England manager in a long time, becoming the first in the 21st century to take them beyond a quarter-final at the 2018 World Cup before reaching the final of Euro 2020.

Despite that, Southgate is not universally popular among English fans, with many unimpressed with the results he’s gotten since the Euros and of the opinion that the football he plays is often too conservative.

Deschamps has personally been impressed, but thinks he appreciates Southgate more than the fans do.

“I very much like Gareth,” he said.

“We have met on a number of occasions and have talked about a number of things. He had a long and distinguished career and he is also a very good coach. He has enabled England to get some very good results over the years.

“If I am understood correctly, not everyone appreciates him so much in his own country.”