The last time England brought home the World Cup was in 1966 when the legendary coach Alf Ramsey led the Three Lions to a 4-2 victory over West Germany at Wembley Stadium. While no England coach has matched Ramsey’s success since then, there have still been some notable achievements.
Alf Ramsey (1963 – 1974)
A former member of England’s 1950 World Cup team, coach Alf Ramsey will be remembered as the manager that led England to its first and only World Cup title in 1966. He also steered the team to a third-place finish at the Euros in 1968 and to the quarterfinals in both the 1970 and 1972 World Cup. With a statue dedicated to him outside Wembley Stadium, Ramsey is considered to be England’s best football coach of all time.
Walter Winterbottom (1946–1962)
England’s first and longest-tenured manager, he took England to four consecutive World Cups from 1950 – 1962. More importantly, he established the youth leagues and U-23 teams that helped provide the framework for the country’s successes in winning the 1966 World Cup.
Bobby Robson (1982 – 1990)
Bobby Robson took England to its farthest stages of the World Cup since 1966, leading the team to the semifinals of the 1990 World Cup where it lost to West Germany on penalties. He also coached the 1986 England side that witnessed Maradona‘s “Hand of God” goal in a 2-1 quarterfinal loss to Argentina.
Ron Greenwood (1977 – 1982)
With a 60% winning percentage through 55 games, Ron Greenwood coached the national side to the group stage in the Euro 1980 and the second round of the 1982 World Cup.
Gareth Southgate (2016 – 2024)
Gareth Southgate served as England’s manager from 2016 until his resignation in July 2024, following the team’s 2–1 defeat to Spain in the UEFA Euro 2024 final. During his eight-year tenure,
Southgate revitalized the national team, leading them to significant achievements, including a semi-final appearance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, a runner-up finish at Euro 2020 (out on penalty kicks), and another final at Euro 2024. Despite these accomplishments, he was unable to secure a major tournament victory. Southgate stepped down after managing 102 matches, making him the third-longest-serving England manager in games coached.
In his resignation statement, Southgate expressed that managing England had been “the honor of my life” and emphasized the need for a “new chapter” for both himself and the team. Following his departure, he joined UEFA as a technical observer, contributing his expertise to the broader European football community.
