Gareth Southgate‘s new look has sparked a frenzy among football fans after he appeared a much less formal look than usual.
With Euro 2024 just around the corner, the England boss revealed this week he was ditching his trademark waistcoat in order to create a more “relaxed environment” in his squad’s camp in Germany.
Speaking to GQ‘s Match Fits column, which chronicles football’s most fashionable figures, the 53-year old explained: “Whenever you put something on, you’re making some sort of a statement, aren’t you? I am conscious of that now.”
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Southgate continued: “This year, it will be more short-sleeved knits than a suit and tie, because we’re trying to create a relaxed environment. When you’re working with young lads, you don’t want to be too stiff – in what you’re doing or wearing.”
But it seems the plan may have backfired, according to fans. Sharing a snap of Southgate posing for GQ in his new woollen attire, one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote: “This photo looks like it’s been lifted from a story in a paranormal magazine about a poltergeist that terrorised a recluse in the 1970s.”
Another agreed: “The most specific and correct statement I’ve seen for some time.” Meanwhile a third responded: “Though the poltergeist only terrifies the recluse by unbuttoning the bottom two buttons on his cardigan, and by taking the pack of woodbines out of the cardigan breast pocket.”
A fourth added: “Looks like a guy who started a cult in Oregon in 1973, but no one joined.” And a fifth said: “Looks like an image from an old VHS cassette where a single guy is telling single ladies about his likes and dislikes and why he would be great to go on a date with.”
Southgate also told GQ he is planning to get a fresh haircut ahead of next month’s tournament. “I’ll have one more cut before we go, I think, because my hair gets a little bit curly, which I don’t like,” he explained. “Plus my wife says I haven’t got the features to have it really short.”
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