Gareth Southgate hit the headlines back in July when he announced his decision to step down as England manager following the UEFA EURO 2024 final defeat to Spain.
He ended the year on a high, however, receiving a knighthood in the New Year Honours List for services to association football, after leading the Three Lions to the finals of Euro 2020 and 2024, and the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup.
While much is known about the star’s on-pitch life, you might know less about his glamorous wife Alison, who he walked down the aisle with in 1997, or the pair’s two lookalike children: Mia, 24, and Flynn, 20.
Here’s everything we know about the former England manager’s life with his family…
Alison Bird
Gareth and wife Alison are childhood sweethearts with the pair meeting while Gareth was just a trainee at Crystal Palace F.C. At the time of meeting Gareth, Alison was working in a clothing boutique, however as she generally keeps out of the public eye, it’s unknown if she still has a career in the industry.
In his 2003, Gareth spoke about plucking up the courage to ask Alison out after meeting her at the shop where she worked. When they first got together, they would sneak around the Tesco car park for their dates.
© Andrew Dunsmore/ShutterstockGareth and Alison’s love quickly blossomed and the duo walked down the aisle in July 1997 with the ceremony taking place in Crawley, close to where Gareth grew up and studied. Despite their joy at tying the knot, the weather was not in their favour on their big day, with some of their wedding photos taking place underneath umbrellas.
The couple live in Harrogate, Yorkshire, and own several properties in the surrounding area.
© Alexander HassensteinDespite her husband having a successful career, Alison isn’t actually too interested in football. Speaking to the Mail, the manager’s father, Clive, said: “Actually, I don’t think Alison likes football very much.
“Obviously she has to take an interest because it’s Gareth’s job, and she is always very supportive. She will sometimes go to Wembley for an international game – but not during the school term because she always puts the children first.”
Mia, 24
© InstagramGareth and Alison’s eldest child, Mia, received an MA in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh.
She is now a budding fashion influencer, boasting over 4,000 followers on her various social media platforms. In particular, she’s garnered an impressive following on TikTok where she posts outfit-of-the-day videos in keeping with the ‘It-Girl’ aesthetic.
Flynn, 20
© LinkedInFlynn is Gareth and Alison’s youngest child, and he has opted to pursue a career away from his father’s sporting shadow. Instead of heading into the world of football, Flynn is a trainee lawyer and has achieved a bachelor’s degree in politics from King’s College London.
Life as a dad
Speaking about his parenting style, Gareth told the Standard in 2017: “Over the last couple of weeks I’ve just had a nice time spending it with the family though, and for me that’s important because my kids are 18 and 14, and their development is as important for me as anything else in my life.
© Jonathan Moscrop“You do have to try to find a balance because my focus inevitably gets drawn towards making this team as successful as we can and driving them to be the best team in the world, but I’m also a dad and a husband.”
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