Gary Neville left stunned by Roy Keane’s Euros opinion of Gareth Southgate

Roy Keane, the former Manchester United captain, didn’t hold back in his praise for Gareth Southgate as England geared up for the Euro 2024 final, leaving his ITV colleague Gary Neville more than a little surprised.

Despite guiding England to its second consecutive Euros final, Southgate has faced his fair share of criticism. Some former players and pundits didn’t mince their words at the start of the tournament. However, as England’s form picked up and they marched towards the final, the tone of the commentary changed from critical to complimentary.

On the eve of the showdown with Spain, even the typically stern Keane was full of admiration for Southgate, catching Neville off guard. “Gareth’s been the calmest man I’ve seen throughout the tournament,” said Neville. “He’s a class act, an absolute class guy.

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“There’s a lot of steal about Gareth. If tonight’s his last game as England manager, I couldn’t begrudge anything good that happens to Gareth. I think he’s a top-quality guy and wish him nothing but the best.”

Keane added: “If they get that victory tonight, it will be huge for him. He’s done an amazing job. We forget, when he took the job, there were huge question marks over him, but the way he’s brought players together… This group of players has belief.”

Following Keane’s tribute to the England boss, Neville quipped: “That’s high praise. We’ve worked with him for a lot of years and he’s never called us top-class guys.”

Keane retorted: “Not yet, not yet. You’re getting there though, you’re on the right path.”

Southgate’s future with England remains uncertain, with speculation rife whether he will step down after the final or lead the team to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Despite his contract ending in December, rumors are swirling that he might just stick around and sign a new two-year deal.