Gareth Southgate has revealed that he made the decision to step down as England manager before the Euro 2024 final in July, in which England lost to Spain.

He chose Adele’s Someone Like You as one of his eight songs on the long-running show, explaining that he had the track on repeat during the tournament in Germany because “I knew I was going to be leaving”.

“There were so many of the words in it that, even if I hear it today, it relates to my relationship with England,” Southgate said about the Adele hit.

From Adele’s 2011 album 21, the song is written from the point of view of a woman talking to her ex-partner.

“They’ve got to move on, and you wish them the best and there are regrets, but there were actually memories that were made,” Southgate added.

After leading England to two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final during his eight-year tenure, he suggested that his next job could be away from football.

“When you’re a coach and you’ve had one of the biggest jobs, how do you follow that up?” asked Southgate.

Southgate began supporting United when he was young despite being born in Watford, and noted that former Red Devils players Bryan Robson and Steve Coppell were his football heroes.

“We moved to Lancashire when I was very young – Bury, which is where I started supporting Manchester United because they were fairly local,” Southgate said.

Another track he chose was Shape of You by Ed Sheeran, featuring Stormzy.

He called the pair “amazing” British artists, adding: “To see young people like these two able to be worldwide superstars is brilliant to watch”.

Sheeran performed for the squad during the past two Euros. Southgate said that Covid restrictions at the 2021 tournament meant that Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell had to watch the performance from their hotel rooms after being ordered to isolate.

After leaving the England post, Southgate was succeeded by Thomas Tuchel, who will begin his duties on January 1.