LONDON — Former England manager Gareth Southgate has been knighted in the New Year Honours.

The 54-year-old led England to two consecutive European Championship finals, but came up short as they were beaten by Italy on penalties in 2021 and lost to Spain in this year’s showpiece.

England also reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals before losing to Croatia and were eliminated by France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals.

Southgate, who quit shortly after the Euro 2024 final in July, becomes the fourth former England manager to receive a knighthood, following in the footsteps of 1966 World Cup winning handler Alf Ramsey, Walter Winterbottom and Bobby Robson.

Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has been hired to succeed Southgate, who has hinted he may not return to management.

The German will officially start his job on Jan 1 as England begin their qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Gerald Davies, the former Wales and British and Irish Lions wing who subsequently served as president of the Welsh Rugby Union, has also been knighted for services to his sport and for voluntary and charitable service in Wales.

Olympic gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson becomes a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

Nine-time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).

Cockroft, who won two more gold medals in Paris when she successfully defended her women’s T34 100m and 800m Paralympic titles, said: “Being put forward for the New Year Honours list is just the perfect ending to an incredible year.”

Alan Hansen, a former Liverpool defender and long-time television pundit, has been given an MBE for services to football and broadcasting.