Gareth Southgate sets bold new target for England

The Three Lions boss has set his side a new challenge ahead of their final game in the Euro 2024 qualifiers.

England manager Gareth Southgate has challenged the squad to become the world’s number-one ranked team.

Southgate made this ambitious declaration, emphasizing the need for consistency and excellence in performance.

“If you’re going to be the top-ranked team, there’s no room for sloppiness or casualness. If we’re going to be a top team, then the level of performance has got to be spot on every time,” Southgate stated as per BBC.

This challenge comes on the heels of England’s qualification for Euro 2024. Monday’s match against North Macedonia holds the key to securing a spot among the top seeds for the tournament, as a draw would be enough.

“Am I driven by being ranked number one? Yes,” Southgate affirmed.

“Ultimately, you achieve that through consistency. You’ve got to play well in the tournaments as well because the ranking points are higher in the tournaments.”

England stand fourth in the current FIFA rankings, trailing behind world champions Argentina, France, and Brazil.