Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC One

Gareth Southgate has dragged us from the very bottom and taken us to nearly a team that can be successful.

But we've had that three years ago, we've got a better team and squad now, so when that happens, expectations are higher and you've got to cope with that.

Getting to finals when you have got the quality of players like England have, and not winning it, is not going to be good enough.

They have got a togetherness, they have got a steel about them, but I think they are better than what they have shown us.

Chris Sutton
Former Celtic striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

It is a good thing for football that Spain won the tournament with the brand they have played. Spain played the beautiful game and England didn't.

Spain are a team. England are bits and pieces.

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal

Image source, Getty Images

Sambi Lokonga has joined La Liga side Sevilla on a season-long loan, Arsenal have confirmed.

The 24-year-old midfielder spent last season on loan with Luton Town, where he made 17 Premier League appearances. Sambi became an integral part of the Luton team, producing strong performances throughout the campaign.

He joined Arsenal in July 2021 from Anderlecht, and has made 39 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners.

Rio Ferdinand
Former England defender on BBC One

Whenever these players in this England team have won things with their clubs, they've got the quality, but they're all brave in the big moments.

They're courageous, they take risks, they take chances. They don't wait to go behind, they take chances when the game's in the balance and when it's most difficult.

When you win stuff, you have to have that courage and just lay it out there, roll the dice at times and you can't always play from a conservative position.

Former England defender Micah Richards said on BBC One's coverage of the Euro 2024 final that he believes it is time for a tactical rethink in the senior set-up:

"I've said from the start that I think England have the best squad, but I don't think we're the best team, in terms of all the combinations we expect to see."

Asked why he had that opinion, Richards added: "Because we have a manager who has been successful being defensive, getting into a semi-final of a World Cup and two Euros [finals], and we've not been able to push this team forward in the way it deserves.

"That's no slight on Gareth Southgate, that's just his tactics.

"Now we have to move forward in the right direction and play the football these players play at club level."

Emile Heskey
Former Liverpool and England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

I’m disappointed, like everyone else. We slowly grew into the tournament, we got to the final and again Gareth [Southgate] brought the nation together - it was great while it lasted.

Spain had a fantastic squad, when you look at Spanish football, it’s all about keeping possession and progression, trying to dominate the ball and they did that.

They had on average 63% possession and they are used to that. This time England where chasing the ball and we are not used to that.

This Spanish side, we all knew they were going to go far. Spain in the final was always going to be a tall order but I still feel like we could have attacked a little bit more and been a bit more aggressive.

Manchester United and England defender Luke Shaw shared the supporters' disappointment at losing to Spain.

The 29-year-old defender made his first start in four months in Sunday's Euro 2024 final after recovering from a hamstring injury.

"I'm absolutely devastated," said Shaw, who also made appearances as a substitute in earlier knockout wins over Switzerland and the Netherlands.

"We really believed we could do it but it wasn't meant to be."

On England manager Gareth Southgate's word to players after the defeat, Shaw added: "He is extremely proud of the team and what we have achieved as a group but, of course, there isn't much else he could say.

"Everyone is truly gutted. I think we had massive belief, but the fans deserved it. I just want to thank them for their support and can only apologise to them."

Image source, Getty Images

We have been featuring messages from England fans this morning - via text, WhatsApp, social media and on BBC Radio 5 Live's 606 phone-in.

For the supporters below, interviewed leaving Olympiastadion Berlin after England's 2-1 defeat to Spain in Sunday's Euro 2024 final, there was a shared resignation that they were beaten by worthy winners.

Click on the play icon to watch.

Captain Harry Kane posted a message to fans on X a short time ago, in which he promised players would "pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and be ready to fight again in an England shirt".

He wrote: "Heartbroken we couldn't achieve what we worked so hard to. It was a long, tough tournament and I’m so proud of the boys and staff for getting to the final.

"Ultimately, we fell short of our target and will have to live with that but as we always do we will pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and be ready to fight again in an England shirt.

"Thank you to all the fans that believed in us and supported us to the very end!"

Image source, Getty Images

England manager Gareth Southgate, his players and staff left their Berlin hotel earlier this morning and are expected to land back at Stanstead Airport later today.

They were given a round of applause by hotel staff, as well as from waiting supporters, as they boarded the team bus.

Image source, PA Media

The FA's chief executive Mark Bullingham was pictured leaving England's Berlin hotel along with the players and staff earlier this morning.

He released a statement on behalf of the FA last night praising the work done by manager Gareth Southgate and his team, while also reiterating that the "ambition to win major tournaments is stronger than ever".

"We came to Germany to win the tournament, and we didn’t want it to end this way," read the statement. "We are all hurting tonight, but we should be incredibly proud.

"I would like to thank Gareth, Steve, all of the players and the support team for their huge commitment and hard work to try to win the trophy for the country. They will be more disappointed than anyone to fall just short.

"This is our fourth major tournament final in four years for the Three Lions and the Lionesses, and our ambition to win major tournaments is stronger than ever.

"Our wonderful fans have supported us with pride and passion here in Germany and back at home. Everyone involved with England wants to make the country proud, and we really appreciate their support."

606 phone-in
BBC Radio 5 live

Kate called this morning's special edition of the 606 football phone-in, which was on BBC Radio 5 Live from 09:00 to 11:00 BST, to share her thoughts on Gareth Southgate and his England squad:

"In the last 10 years, I’ve never seen such a successful team and that’s down to Gareth Southgate.

"The players are proud to play for their country, they are great role models.

"Gareth Southgate’s style of management has changed the football culture in the UK.

"As a country, we need to celebrate and stop going on about things negatively.

"Gareth has brought emotional intelligence to this English team - he is building for the future and it's about the bigger picture.

"In terms of the media and British public, it’s like being married - for better or worse, stick by your team."

More from Sam Allardyce, who spent 67 days as England manager before being replaced by Gareth Southgate in September 2016, on how European champions Spain got the balance right in Germany.

"Spain defended better than everyone else and attacked better than everyone else," Allardyce told Sky Sports News.

"England got their defence right, but not the attacking balance, whereas Spain got both perfect. We lacked attacking flair when we needed it."

Current England manager Southgate conceded that Spain were deserved winners after beating England 2-1 in Sunday's Euro 2024 final in Berlin.

"As always in these games it's fine margins but I think they [Spain] were the best team in the tournament and over the piece they deserved to win," said Southgate.

England scored some outstanding goals at Euro 2024, but a look at the xG figures on the team's last six goals at the tournament suggests they were relying heavily on individual moments of brilliance.

After coming on as a substitute, Chelsea forward Cole Palmer brought England level with Spain in Sunday's final with a composed left-footed strike from outside the box. As per X account The xG Philosophy, the expected goals (xG) figure for that chance was 0.03.

Ollie Watkins' 90th-minute winner against the Netherlands in the semi-final had an xG of 0.06, whilst Bukayo Saka's left-footed strike from outside the box against Switzerland in the quarter-final had an xG of 0.03 and the xG for Jude Bellingham's bicycle kick against Slovakia in the last 16 was 0.05.

Harry Kane's header against Slovakia had an xG of 0.22 and he scored a penalty against the Netherlands.

In the final, England had 35% possession and nine attempts at goal compared to Spain's 16.

Do you think Gareth Southgate's men relied too heavily on big moments? Thumbs up for yes, down for no.

Declan Rice, Connor Gallagher and Kieran Tripper make their way out of England's team hotel in Berlin and on to their bus as they head to the airport, ready to leave Germany, following Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

606 phone-in
BBC Radio 5 live

England fan Ian told BBC Radio 5 Live's 606 phone-in that Gareth Southgate needs to be replaced as Three Lions manager and discussed who he believes should replace him:

"I think [Gareth] Southgate has to go, he should have gone after Qatar. We have gone backwards and arguably I think we could have won the World Cup in Qatar.

"I’d bring in Marcelo Bielsa for the England role. He plays attacking, attractive football. You've got to bring in someone with attacking flair, Southgate is too defensive.

"I think Gareth has had his long-term favourites. Harry Kane was semi-pro standard last night. We should have played Ivan Toney. After the first three group games, I would have kept Harry Kane on the bench."

Click here to listen to the final 20 minutes of this morning's 606 phone-in.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Bolton, Newcastle and West Ham manager Sam Allardyce, who preceded Gareth Southgate as England boss, says the Three Lions' inability to harness their attacking talent ultimately cost them in the Euro 2024 final against Spain.

"This has been a really good era over the last eight years - we can't forget that England have done their best [at major tournaments] since 1966 - we just can't get over the line," Allardyce told Sky Sports News.

"Why was that? It's about getting our quality players in the right areas.

"We had many goal scorers in the squad - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins. Look at how many goals they scored at club level this last season. How many chances did we create for them at the Euros?

"We didn't break defences down as well or as quickly enough as we should have done and that needs to be looked at.

"Also, we need to look at the system or systems we intend to play and make sure that the players we pick are comfortable in that system. If they are not then you are better off not picking them."