Lay’s, a brand that has been bringing people together for generations, is building on its commitment to celebrating soccer fandom by becoming an Official snack of both the FIFA World Cup 26™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™. The exciting new partnership brings together two titans – the world’s favorite chip brand and the world’s biggest and most popular single sporting event for men and women – to spread the joy of the game to millions of fans worldwide. As Official Sponsor, Lay’s, alongside an iconic portfolio of food brands including Doritos®, Cheetos®, Tostitos®, Ruffles®, Quaker® and Gamesa®, will bring fans closer to the game than ever before with exclusive experiences, merchandise, consumer activations and more.

“Partnering with FIFA marks a significant milestone for our business and ambition to embed Lay’s and our extended portfolio of food brands deeper into football culture,” said Jane Wakely, Chief Consumer and Marketing Officer and Chief Growth Officer, International Foods – Lay’s. “Football is one of the world's biggest passion points, and this historic partnership allows us to bring the excitement and reach of the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup together with the joy and fun of our iconic brands across the world.” 

On announcing the deal, FIFA President, Gianni Infantino said: “We’re delighted to extend this partnership with Lay’s and strengthen our collaboration as we head into a historic period for FIFA and the wider soccer community. After being involved in the last FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup, we’re proud that Lay’s has shared in our trust, vision, and ideas for the development of the global game and has joined us on this journey into the future. Together, we will create special experiences for fans worldwide.”

The FIFA World Cup 26™ will be the first edition to feature 48 teams and to be hosted across three countries – United States, Mexico and Canada – while the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ will be held in South America for the first time in 2027. With the two tournaments set to make history, Lay’s is joining the hype by rewarding soccer fans in new and unexpected ways. The brand will break new ground in 2026 by recognizing and rewarding the “Fan of the Match” at every match, spotlighting those in the stands whose passion and energy bring the beautiful game to life, and providing them with one-of-a-kind experiences.

Additionally, Lay’s, and the full portfolio of food brands, will engage fans on a global scale via in-store and digital promotions leading up to the FIFA World Cup 26™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™. The brands will also be prominently featured on the pitch during every match through LED stadium display board exposure, press conference backdrops, as well as products sold across concession stands. Going beyond the stadiums, Lay’s and the iconic food portfolio will deliver immersive consumer experiences at FIFA official fan zones across host cities.

  Lay’s has established a strong legacy with FIFA and the world of soccer fandom. The brand has led massive culture-defining initiatives, including the No Lay’s, No Game platform, which has created viral moments with soccer mega-stars like David Beckham and Thierry Henry. The legendary duo, earlier this year, stunned an entire stadium of 75,000 cheering fans as they orchestrated an epic hunt for Lay’s.  The brand additionally launched the instantly iconic Oh Lay’scampaign which took the traditional “Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé” mantra and put a Lay’s twist on it with the help of the G.O.A.T., Lionel Messi.

New United States boss Mauricio Pochettino has outlined his ambition to win the World Cup with the co-hosts in two years' time and is excited by the opportunity.

Pochettino was named the manager of the USA on Tuesday in his first role since parting company with Chelsea in May.

The Argentine, who previously enjoyed a successful five-year spell in charge of Tottenham, leading them to a Champions League final, oversaw a sixth-placed Premier League finish in his only season at Stamford Bridge.

And with the USA acting as hosts alongside Canada and Mexico for football's most prestigious tournament in 2026, Pochettino believes his players should harbour ambitions of winning the entire event.

"We need to believe in big things that we can win, not only a game but the World Cup," Pochettino said.

"If we don’t, the journey will be difficult. We have to think big. That is the only way to put your talent in the service of the team. It is a massive challenge."

The USA women's team won the World Cup in 2015 and 2019 and claimed Olympic gold this summer in Emma Hayes' first tournament as manager.

Pochettino, who knows Hayes from the period in which they both managed Chelsea's senior teams, reserved special praise for her, while also wanting his players to be inspired by how successful the women's team had become in recent times.

"In Emma, we have the best coach in the world," said Pochettino.

"The women's team has won everything. We need to match them. They need to be our inspiration, not only with results but in the way they create the philosophy to defend the country, the badge and the culture.

"We want to create something special."

Pochettino's first game in charge will be a friendly versus Panama at the Q2 Stadium in Austin on October 12.

Christian Pulisic hopes the arrival of new head coach Mauricio Pochettino will improve the United States' mentality and culture, following their 1-1 draw with New Zealand.

The Stars and Stripes were denied a first victory in four matches after Ben Waine's fortuitous equaliser in the 89th minute cancelled out Pulisic's opener in Cincinnati.

Pochettino was officially announced earlier in the day as the successor to Gregg Berhalter, who was dismissed following the United States' poor Copa America campaign.

The former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea boss will pick up the baton from interim coach Mikey Varas, and Pulisic hopes the Argentine's arrival will spark the nation back into life.

"Hopefully, a culture that is willing to fight, that is willing to take risks, you know, win," the Stars and Stripes skipper said when asked what he wants Pochettino to bring to the role.

"There are a lot of things that need to change, just the mentality and the culture of the group. I think we have the quality, but hopefully that's the first thing he's going to want to change."

Pochettino will also be tasked with improving the United States' results, having now won just one of their last seven matches. And Pulisic issued a rallying cry to his team-mates.

"Obviously, [these are] difficult results for us, and it's not a great feeling," he added.

"But I think moving forward, it's time to turn a page, and we really have to pick up a level - I mean everyone that's a part of this. It feels pretty low right now, but I know there are better times ahead."

Vinicius Junior apologised to Brazil's supporters following their defeat to Paraguay, acknowledging "it is a difficult time" for the Selecao.

The five-time world champions were beaten 1-0 in Asuncion, with Diego Gomez's 20th-minute strike condemning them to a fourth defeat in five qualifying games.

Dorival Junior's side occupy fifth place in the CONMEBOL section - in which the top six nations automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, with the team finishing seventh entering the Inter-confederation play-offs.

Already eight points adrift of leaders Argentina, Brazil are now just one ahead of eighth-place Bolivia, and Vinicius knows he and his team-mates must do better.

"We apologise to the fans, who are always on our side," the Real Madrid forward told Sportv. "But this is a difficult time, we just want to improve.

"I know my potential, I know what I can do for the national team. Of course, it's been a very difficult process, because when you don't have confidence, you don't get goals, you don't get assists and good performances.

"We know the situation we're in, we want to get Brazil out of this situation at any cost, we all have to go home now and start thinking about what we can do to get back to playing well.

"We cannot come here, lose these points and play the way we did. It is a difficult time, we must take on board all the criticism and return as quickly as possible to put Brazil on top."

Meanwhile, Marquinhos believes Brazil are going through a transitional period, and that they are not brimming with belief as a result. 

"The coach is still figuring out the best way for us to play and that's reflected in the result," the defender told Brazilian TV Globo. "There are a lot of new players, we are lacking confidence.

"Qualifying isn't easy, it's a difficult time, and we have to know how to manage it. It's a time of transition, we're not feeling confident. We're going to work hard, getting results on the pitch is the best answer."

Mauricio Pochettino has officially been appointed as the United States' new head coach following the departure of Gregg Berhalter.

Berhalter was fired after overseeing a miserable home campaign at the Copa America, where a shock defeat to Panama sent the USA crashing out in the group stage.

Pochettino was quickly reported to be a surprise contender for the role, having left Chelsea following a single season in charge.

The Argentine – who previously enjoyed a successful five-year spell in charge of Tottenham, leading them to the 2018-19 Champions League final – oversaw a sixth-placed Premier League finish in his only campaign at Stamford Bridge.

He has now agreed to lead the USA into a home World Cup in 2026, as they prepare to co-host the tournament alongside neighbours Canada and Mexico.

Pochettino told the U.S. Soccer website: "The decision to join U.S. Soccer wasn't just about football for me; it’s about the journey that this team and this country are on.

"The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here – those are the things that inspired me. 

"The opportunity to lead the U.S. men's national team in front of fans who are just as passionate as the players is something I couldn't pass up. 

"I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of."

Pochettino's first game in charge will be a friendly versus Panama at the Q2 Stadium in Austin on October 12, with a meeting with Mexico scheduled three days later.

"Hiring Mauricio is a step forward in our mission to compete at the highest level and make a lasting mark on the global soccer landscape," said U.S. Soccer chief executive JT Batson. 

"His deep knowledge of the game, his commitment to developing talent, and his relentless drive for excellence are exactly what we need as we prepare for the 2026 World Cup. 

"Mauricio understands the unique potential of this team and this country, and he shares our belief that U.S. Soccer is on the cusp of something truly special."

Dorival Junior believes the pressure of being Brazil's main man can sometimes weigh Vinicius Junior down, just as it did Neymar in years gone by.

Brazil beat Ecuador 1-0 to end a three-match losing run in the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Friday, though their performance was far from convincing.

Rodrygo's deflected first-half strike handed Brazil a crucial three points, yet they were indebted to goalkeeper Alisson for making a huge one-on-one save to deny Moises Caicedo on the stroke of half-time.

Having endured a torrid time at the Copa America earlier this year, Vinicius was quiet again on Friday, failing to complete any of his four dribbles and losing possession 14 times – more than any other Selecao player.

Brazil's recent performances have come in for stern criticism at home, but Dorival believes everyone connected with the national team needs to have more patience.

"We want to see players in the condition where he produces at all times, in the same way he does at his club," Dorival said of Vinicius. 

"We always have cycles within the clubs themselves, we have moments when Rodrygo will be featured over a few months, soon Vini will enter this same condition. 

"We have to be very calm. This same expectation was generated around Neymar, that at all times Neymar had to be the solution to our problems."

Neymar himself has not played for either Al-Hilal or Brazil since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament during the Selecao's 2-0 defeat to Uruguay last October.

Dorival cited his recovery as yet another area where Brazil's supporters must have more understanding. 

"If we have a little patience and receive Neymar at the moment the team is more balanced, I have no doubt he can make a very big difference with the ability he has, with those who are here," he added.

"We have to learn that these processes are lengthy and require time and patience, which we do not have in our country.

"I say again to the Brazilian fans: have a little calm, let's first regain the confidence of the Brazilian team. We have players of the highest level, who play in the biggest clubs in Europe, as well as in Brazilian football. 

"I have no doubt that we will have an aggressive team like the fans want, playing in a regular way and transmitting even greater confidence."

Brazil go to Paraguay for their next World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, having gone fourth in the 10-team group with Friday's slender victory.

Luis Suarez gave an emotional farewell message to Uruguay's fans after the final game of his international career ended in a goalless draw with Paraguay in Montevideo.

Suarez announced earlier this month that Friday's 2026 World Cup qualifier would be his final outing for La Celeste, who he helped win the 2011 Copa America and reach the 2010 World Cup semi-finals.

The former Liverpool and Barcelona man was unable to end his international career with a victory as Marcelo Bielsa's team were kept out by Paraguay. 

Suarez played the full 90 minutes as captain as Uruguay registered just one shot on target in a meek performance, but the result could not put a dampener on post-match tributes to the striker.

Addressing the crowd, Suarez said: "I have only words of gratitude to all Uruguayans, who since my career began supported me, not only me, but a generation that had a very difficult time.

"That group marked me a lot, being a healthy group, where we were all on the same path. People don't know how much we fought for this shirt and how difficult it is to represent a country, it is not easy to assume that responsibility.

"I went through very complicated moments in my career. I want to thank you for the affection and be clear that Uruguay is bigger than any coach or player and that, from tomorrow, I will be just another fan. 

"Up Uruguay and I will always be grateful to the Uruguayan people."

Suarez ended his international career with a national record 69 goals in 143 caps, his final strike for Uruguay being a last-minute equaliser versus Canada in the third-place play-off at this year's Copa America, a contest La Celeste won on penalties.

A deflected first-half strike from Rodrygo handed Brazil a crucial 1-0 victory over Ecuador as they halted a three-match losing run in 2026 World Cup qualifying.

Dorival Junior's team approached Friday's game off the pace in the CONMEBOL qualification group, sitting sixth after defeats to Uruguay, Colombia and Argentina in late 2023.

They produced another disjointed performance in Curitiba and were indebted to Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who struck the winner on the half-hour mark.

Taking Lucas Paqueta's pass on the turn 25 yards from goal, Rodrygo cut onto his right foot before seeing his effort strike William Pacho and nestle in the bottom-left corner.

Rodrygo went close to a second six minutes later but it was far from smooth sailing for the hosts, who needed a huge save from Alisson to preserve their lead on the stroke of half-time.

The Liverpool goalkeeper made himself big to deny Moises Caicedo when one-on-one in what proved to be Ecuador's best chance, as Brazil leapfrogged their opponents to go fourth in the table with 10 points from seven matches.

Data Debrief: Selecao still missing their spark

Brazil were flat and unimpressive at the Copa America, and there were few signs of the Selecao rediscovering their attacking spark here.

They enjoyed 57.4% of the possession in Friday's game but could only convert that into 10 shots tallying 0.46 expected goals (xG), to Ecuador's 0.85 xG from nine attempts.

Rodrygo and Alisson stepped up in the moments that mattered for Brazil, but performances like these will ensure even reaching the 2026 World Cup is a slog for the five-time winners. 

Virgil van Dijk will play for the Netherlands at least until the 2026 World Cup after discussions with Ronald Koeman over his future.

The Liverpool defender, who has earned 74 caps since making his debut for the national team in October 2015, was awarded the captaincy by Koeman in 2018, during the manager's first spell in charge.

He has since led the team through three major tournaments, including two World Cups, with the Netherlands making it to the semi-finals at Euro 2024 before being knocked out by England.

And Koeman revealed he flew to Liverpool to have a face-to-face conversation with Van Dijk to persuade him to appear at the next major finals should they get there.

"I thought it was so important to go to him to see and feel with him: are you going to give it your all for another two years at the highest level and do you still see a future for yourself? And he does," Koeman told reporters.

"And I do the same with him. All doubt is gone, he just goes on.

"He admitted he did not reach the level you would expect from him as a player at the European Championship. As captain, I think he did a great job.

"But perhaps as a result, he put too much energy into others rather than into himself."

Koeman also confirmed that Steven Bergwijn, who sealed a deadline-day move to Al-Ittihad on Monday, is no longer in his plans after his move to the Saudi Pro League.

The forward scored eight goals in 35 appearances for the national team but failed to register a goal involvement at Euro 2024, albeit in just two starts.

Having also struggled at the start of the Eredivisie season for Ajax, making just one substitute appearance before his move, Koeman explained why the 26-year-old is no longer part of his plans.

"The book is basically closed to him. He knows what I think about this," Koeman said.

"When you are 26 [years old], your main ambition should be sporting, not financial. These are choices that players make.

"I have never been in that situation, because I could go to Barcelona. He could have stayed at Ajax. That's not bad, is it? You have to respect that choice, but personally, I wouldn't [have moved]."

Koeman clarified why he continued to call up Georginio Wijnaldum, who moved to Al-Ettifaq from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, compared to his staunch approach to Bergwijn.

"Gini had problems at PSG and this was the only opportunity for him to still play," Koeman added.

"In addition, there is a difference in age [Wijnaldum moved aged 33]."

The Netherlands begin their Nations League campaign in League A Group 3 against Bosnia & Herzegovina on Saturday before playing Germany next week.

Stale Solbakken has announced he is likely to step down as Norway head coach when his contract expires after the 2026 World Cup campaign.

The former midfielder took over the national side in 2020 with the hopes of returning Norway to a major tournament. However, he has been unable to qualify for one despite having players like Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard among his ranks.

Norway finished third in their qualification group for Euro 2024, six points below Scotland, having only won three of their eight matches.

With the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico coming up in 2026, Solbakken's sights are set on playing on the world stage for the first time since France 1998, but he says his time with the national team will not extend beyond that if they do qualify.

"I'll take this qualification now and then there's a high probability that I'll do something else after that regardless," he told reporters on Monday, adding he will remain in charge if Norway qualify for the World Cup and step down after the finals.

"While I'm still young and virile, I want to do something else too - I've said no to a number of club jobs that really tempted me, but I'm determined to make one last attempt here, and then I think that's it.

"I really enjoy being with the boys, but there are far too few [international] matches. The last seven or eight months have been a nightmare with four friendly games, and the last two leading into the boys' summer holidays."

Solbakken was part of Norway's squad in 1998 when they reached the last 16, and at Euro 2000 in the Netherlands and Belgium, Norway's last appearance at a major finals, as they failed to make it out of the group. 

Qualification for the 2026 World Cup begins in either March or June 2025, depending on the upcoming Nations League results, with Norway starting their League B Group 3 campaign against Kazakhstan on Friday.

Lionel Messi has been omitted from Argentina's upcoming World Cup qualifiers as he continues to recover from an ankle injury sustained in the Copa America final.

The superstar forward limped off a little over an hour into La Albiceleste's 1-0 victory over Colombia in Miami on July 14 and has not featured since.

Messi, 37, did not play in the MLS All-Star game, with his club side Inter Miami confirming he had sustained ligament damage to his right ankle and no timeline has been put on his return.

Lionel Scaloni has the likes of Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez and Nicolas Gonzales to call upon, while Lazio forward Valentin Castellanos earns a first call-up.

Argentina face Chile in Buenos Aires on September 5 before travelling to Bogota for a rematch with Colombia five days later.

Scaloni's side, who are hoping to defend their World Cup title in 2026 by qualifying for the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, are top of CONMEBOL qualifying with five wins from six matches.

The top six nations from CONMEBOL qualify for the tournament, while seventh place goes into a play-off for an additional berth.

Mexico have appointed Javier Aguirre as their head coach for a third time after Jaime Lozano was sacked in the wake of their disappointing Copa America campaign.

Mexico finished third in Group B in the United States, only scoring once in their three group-stage matches as they finished behind Venezuela and Ecuador.

El Tri have now suffered three group-stage exits in their last four participations at the Copa America (also in 2011 and 2015), having reached at least the semi-finals at five of their first seven editions.

Lozano paid the price for their failure to reach the knockout stages as he was sacked less than a year after taking over, with the Mexican Football Federation saying he rejected the chance to stay on in a backroom role under a new boss.

Aguirre, who previously led the team between 2001 and 2002 and from 2009 to 2010, has returned for another stint, with Barcelona great Rafael Marquez as his assistant.

"Both are undisputed leaders with distinct personal styles," said national team director Duilio Davino.

"Aguirre is characterised by being a leader who guides and convinces his players and coaching staff through his vision and by creating bonds with his team.

"Rafa leads by example, supported by the fact that he was a high-performance footballer in Mexico and Europe."

Aguirre and Marquez will get the chance to lead their country on home soil at the 2026 World Cup, with Aguirre having previously overseen last-16 exits at the 2002 and 2010 tournaments. 

He led Real Mallorca to the Copa del Rey final last season, only to lose on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao in April.

The Republic of Ireland have announced the appointment of Heimir Hallgrimsson as their new head coach.

The former Iceland and Jamaica boss will lead the Boys in Green for the forthcoming Nations League and 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, and will be officially unveiled at a press conference on Thursday.

Hallgrimsson resigned from his role with Jamaica 10 days ago following the Reggae Boyz's exit from the Copa America group stages, and fills the void that was held by John O'Shea on an interim basis after Stephen Kenny's departure last November.

Along with Lars Lagerbeck, the 57-year-old guided Iceland to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals - famously beating England along the way - and, in sole charge, he led his nation to their maiden World Cup appearance two years later.

Only the nation's second head coach from outside the UK and Ireland after Giovanni Trapattoni, Hallgrimsson's first game at the helm will be against England in the Nations League on September 7.

"It is an honour to be appointed Head Coach of the Ireland Senior Men's National Team," he told the official FAI website. 

"Ireland is rightly a proud footballing nation which has consistently produced talented players and enjoyed many memorable moments at major international tournaments.

"We have a young and exciting team that has genuine potential. I am looking forward to working closely with the players to help coach and guide them towards improved performances and results, ensuring we qualify and compete at major tournaments on a regular basis.

"It is my responsibility to coach, prepare and develop our team as best as possible to deliver results on the pitch, and to make our supporters happy and proud."

Jesse Marsch is "very proud" of what his Canada players achieved in the 2024 Copa America as their tournament ended with defeat to Argentina.

The competition debutants finished second to Argentina in Group A before defeating Venezuela on penalties in the quarter-finals.

After defying the odds to reach the last four, Canada's dream run was ended on Tuesday as they lost 2-0 to Argentina in New Jersey.

Canada will co-host the next World Cup along with the United States and Mexico, with that tournament now very much in Marsch's sight.

"What I said to the team afterwards is I know that they're very disappointed, but I'm very proud of them," Marsch told reporters. 

"We've put together some incredible performances and we're just starting our process. We need to find a way to expand our player pool. 

"We need to continue to challenge our group to come together and be able to perform in moments like this.

"But in general, we've had a wonderful five-six weeks together and it's gone way better than any of us could have scripted. 

"There's still a lot of work to do, but we've built a really good foundation."

Marsch only took over as Canada head coach two months ago but his style of play was already clear to see across the tournament.

Canada now have a third-place play-off against either Colombia or Uruguay to come on Saturday, with Marsch planning on making changes.

"I'm trying to really build and develop every single player in this pool so that we can have a real 26-man squad when it comes to 2026," he said.

"So the match on Saturday will also be vital for that because we'll make some changes. 

"We'll get some new faces on the pitch and challenge them to be able to see if they can hold up in these kinds of matches."

Canada started the better against Argentina at the MetLife Stadium and squandered chances prior to Julian Alvarez's 22nd-minute opener.

Lionel Messi added a second for the reigning world champions early in the second half, but Canada can still be pleased with their run.

"They're the best team in the world, but we had our chances in the beginning of the game," midfielder Stephen Eustaquio told TSN.

"If we scored one of our chances, the story of the game would probably have been different. 

"To get here, the last four of the Copa America, it's a big achievement."

Saturday's Euro 2024 quarter-final clash with Switzerland was a memorable one for England fans, as the Three Lions enjoyed a rare penalty shoot-out success to reach the last four.

For the second successive match in Germany, England were staring at a humiliating exit. After Jude Bellingham took centre-stage against Slovakia, it was Bukayo Saka's turn to produce a rescue act.

Without Saka's heroics, Gareth Southgate's reign as England manager would surely have ended after exactly 100 games.

As it is, he'll be hoping he has at least two more to savour.

Southgate has always had his critics, but three semi-final appearances in four major tournaments under him – one more than England managed in their previous 17 – marks him out as his country's most successful manager in modern times.

As Southgate celebrates another huge win on a landmark occasion, we run through the highs and lows of his tenure.

Southgate's record

Southgate is just the third England boss to bring up three figures, after Walter Winterbottom (139 games between 1946 and 1962) and World Cup winner Alf Ramsey (133 between 1963 and 1974).

England have won 60 matches under him, drawing 24 and losing 16. His 60% win ratio puts him fifth among all Three Lions managers, after Sam Allardyce, who memorably won his only game in charge, Fabio Capello (66.7%), Ramsey (61.1%) and Glenn Hoddle (60.7%).

Saturday's shoot-out success was his 24th major tournament match at the helm. His 13 wins in such games are the most by any England manager in history, while only Ramsey (66.7%) has bettered his 54.2% win rate in World Cup/Euros matches. 

The most common criticism of Southgate relates to his safety-first approach, but only Winterbottom (383) and Ramsey (224) have overseen more England goals than his 210. The Three Lions' average of 2.1 goals per game under him tops their average of 1.98 under Ramsey. 

The highs

Southgate's first tournament at the helm will always be remembered fondly, as his unfancied side went within a whisker of reaching the 2018 World Cup final, two years on from the nadir of Roy Hodgson's team losing to Iceland at Euro 2016. 

With Harry Kane winning the Golden Boot and Harry Maguire providing a threat from set-pieces, England made supporters fall back in love with the national team as they reached the semi-finals, ultimately surrendering a 1-0 lead in an extra-time loss to a superior Croatia side.

The standout moment surely came in the last 16 as Colombia were beaten on penalties – England's first victory in a World Cup shoot-out and just their second in seven attempts at major tournaments at the time.

Coming after a 1-1 draw with stubborn opponents with the knockout draw opening up, Saturday's victory over Switzerland shared many similarities with the Colombia win.

Southgate has now overseen three shoot-out victories, with Switzerland also vanquished in 2019 as the Three Lions took bronze in the inaugural edition of the Nations League.

And while England's only penalty defeat under Southgate came in his biggest game in charge, their run to the Euro 2020 final was another high before heartbreak against Italy.

Most memorable of all was a 2-0 victory over Germany in the last 16, England's first competitive win over them at Wembley Stadium since the 1966 World Cup final. The semi-final versus Denmark, meanwhile, brought Southgate's only major tournament win to date over a top-10 nation in FIFA's world rankings.

The lows 

The Euro 2020 final was, of course, a case of what might have been for England and Southgate. Luke Shaw's early volley sent Wembley into hysterics, but the Three Lions dropped deeper and deeper, inviting Leonardo Bonucci's equaliser and going on to suffer penalty heartache.

Southgate was fiercely criticised for losing control of the final, with England's 34.4% possession share their lowest at Wembley since a 2016 draw with Spain (34.3%).

Either side of that final, England went unbeaten in 90 minutes through 22 matches, but they then endured a dismal run midway through 2022, failing to win any of their six games in the 2022-23 edition of the Nations League as they were relegated from the top tier.

The low point of Southgate's reign came in a crushing 4-0 defeat to Hungary at Molineux that June, where supporters turned on the England boss for the first time after the team's heaviest defeat under him.

England recovered to impress in the group stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but more penalty agony awaited them in the quarter-finals, albeit not in a shoot-out.

With England 2-1 down but in the ascendency against France, captain Kane blazed a late spot-kick over the crossbar, becoming the first player to both score and miss a penalty in a World Cup match since Czechoslovakia's Michal Bilek versus the United States in 1990.

With many believing this tournament will be Southgate's last regardless of the outcome, he will hope the true high point of his tenure is yet to come.

The players

Although many players have won Southgate's trust during his eight years at the helm, one man stands clear of the rest.

Kane has been Southgate's most trusted lieutenant, his 79 appearances under him (69 as captain) putting him clear of Kyle Walker (68), John Stones and Jordan Pickford (both 66).

The striker's 60 England goals under Southgate, meanwhile, are more than treble the figure managed by his closest rival, Raheem Sterling with 18. Kane (16) also leads Sterling (13) for the most assists under Southgate.

No Three Lions player has ever scored more goals for the team under a particular manager, with Gary Lineker's 35 strikes for Bobby Robson putting him a distant second.

Only three players have won more England caps under one manager, with Billy Wright playing under Winterbottom 105 times, Bobby Moore appearing in 100 games for Ramsey, and Peter Shilton 83 for Robson.