England manager Gareth Southgate was the hero we all needed this summer.
I mean, who would predicted that two years after being appointed the England boss that he would become one of Britain's most loved personalities. He is the definition of a true gentlemen, and the World Cup was proof of his humble and kind nature.
Let's remind ourselves of his humble actions after England's dramatic round of 16 win, for example.
As a man who once experienced hitting rock bottom after missing 'that' penalty in the semi-finals against Germany at Euro '96, he later consoled Colombian player Mateus Uribe after he missed from the penalty spot.
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Southgate knew exactly how Uribe felt to be in that situation, so he acted. His kindness was felt throughout both nations.
Rather than celebrate with his own team, Southgate decided to keep a lid on his delight and instead ensure that 27-year-old Uribe was okay.
The Colombian was in tears as he stood next to his manager, covering his face with his shirt, but the former defender went to put an arm around his shoulder and gave some words of encouragement.
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Later on, the 47-year-old enjoyed England's win and celebrated by walking over to the travelling fans.
Southgate proceeded to scream at the top of his lungs in delight as those who had just witnessed history celebrated wildly.
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Just days after the historic win, unedited footage of his reaction emerged on social media and it was well worth the wait. What a moment.
After 22 years of losing penalty shoot-outs, Southgate's relief and passion was finally released with this almighty scream. His side would later fail to reach the final after losing against Croatia in the semi-finals.
But his reputation as a great manager was established. England performed admirably and it was largely down to the leadership qualities of Southgate.
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Happy Gareth Southgate appreciation day.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football, England, Gareth Southgate
