Sir Gareth Southgate has revealed he chose not to work as a television pundit during the World Cup, explaining that offering public commentary on England would not have been in the team's best interest.

Southgate stepped down as England manager after the side fell to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, ending an eight-year tenure in which he oversaw 102 matches. He guided England to the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup, two European Championship finals, and the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals.

"It's obviously a very different tournament for me this one," Southgate wrote in an Instagram post. "I've been at the last seven World Cups as a player, as a broadcaster, a scout and then as the manager. So this time I took a conscious decision not to do the TV."

The 55-year-old explained his reasoning plainly: "I didn't think it would be helpful for me to be talking about the team and I don't want anything to be misconstrued or thrown at them at press conferences, so best for me to keep out of the way."

England ready to win, says Southgate

Despite his absence from the airwaves, Southgate expressed strong belief in the current squad's ability to go all the way.

"Good luck to all the boys," he said. "I know all the big knockout nights that we've had mean they are going to be full of confidence going into this tournament. They have overcome so many hurdles to winning — penalty shootouts, semi-finals, got so close — and they are ready to win."

England begin their World Cup campaign on Wednesday when they face Croatia in Arlington, Texas, before matches against Ghana on 23 June and Panama on 27 June.

Bellingham reflects on Euro 2024 pressure

Southgate's decision comes as England midfielder Jude Bellingham opened up about how the weight of expectation contributed to the squad's difficulties during Euro 2024. Bellingham suggested the group failed to connect "as well as it could" and that players "needed to feel loved" heading into that summer.

"We had done well in 2018 and done well in Qatar, and when it came to that tournament we were seen as one of two or three teams that should win it," Bellingham said. "We were not playing particularly well so even when we were winning you didn't get the feeling you were as happy as you should be."

Southgate remains one of only two managers to have led England's men's team to a major tournament final, alongside Sir Alf Ramsey, the architect of England's 1966 World Cup triumph.