With the heartfelt thanks of millions across the nation - and some who were only too happy to see the back of him - Gareth Southgate ended a captivating reign as England head coach on Tuesday, emotionally confirming that he would be stepping down from his FA post.

Two Euros runners-up medals, a World Cup semi-final and 102 games later, the 53-year-old has accepted that he has taken the Three Lions as far as he can, having come oh so close yet so far to ending decades of hurt in the senior men's game.

Southgate's bombshell decision came just two days after England's gut-wrenching 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, their final match for a couple of months before they commence their new Nations League campaign in September.

As a result, FA chief Mark Bullingham - who was reportedly determined to see Southgate extend his contract and lead the Three Lions to the 2026 World Cup - has ample time to scope out a successor, who will have enormous boots to fill at Wembley.

A few names had already been floated about even before Southgate's exit became official, and here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the main contenders for the England job, along with our verdict on the likelihood of each one taking the reins.

Mauricio Pochettino

The current managerial market is stacked with high-profile unattached candidates following a summer like none other, and former Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain head coach Mauricio Pochettino certainly sticks out among them.

The Argentine became the latest victim of Chelsea's trigger-happy board at the end of the 2023-24 season, despite masterminded a revival which culminated in the Blues returning to UEFA competition in the Europa Conference League, having previously struggled to propel them out of mid-table obscurity.

In the latest of many grievances towards Todd Boehly and co, many felt that Pochettino's sacking was unjust after the 52-year-old oversaw a huge change in attacking fortunes towards the end of the campaign, in addition to giving Cole Palmer - the scorer of England's Euro 2024 final equaliser - a platform to burst onto the Premier League scene.

Some questioned the wisdom of Southgate not giving Palmer more opportunities in the first XI at the Euros, but Pochettino should not be averse to promoting the Chelsea starlet to a more prominent role, while also rekindling his relationship with Harry Kane, whose own performances in Germany were underwhelming despite his share of the Golden Boot.

Pochettino has already confirmed that he would be open to taking the England reins if the opportunity presents itself and is still based in London, meaning that the hiring process ought to run fairly smoothly if the FA do choose to settle on him.

However, debate is raging over whether England should appoint a home-grown head coach or go further afield and choose an international candidate with trophy-winning knowhow - which Pochettino certainly possesses, albeit with a Kylian Mbappe-inspired PSG.

The 52-year-old won over the Tottenham Hotspur crowd with his attack-heavy style, though, and given his affinity for developing young talents, Pochettino at the England helm would be an intriguing prospect.

Verdict: Likely

Graham Potter

Onto the man who vacated the Stamford Bridge hotseat for Pochettino, Graham Potter has been out of the game for over a year since also being axed from the West London giants, with whom he could not maintain a terrific start.

Once the new manager bounce had worn off, Chelsea regressed severely, landing Boehly in hot water with the Blues fanbase for replacing a Champions League winner in Thomas Tuchel with the former Swansea City and Brighton & Hove Albion man.

Potter did not even make it through a full season at Chelsea before being given the boot - a sacking that had been in the pipeline for a while before Boehly bit the bullet - and there was always a feeling that he was a small fish in a big pond at Stamford Bridge.

Similar concerns may arise if the FA pursue the 49-year-old, whose work with Ostersund, Swansea City and Brighton certainly did not go unnoticed, and he has supposedly been inundated with offers to return to management since leaving the Blues.

Barely a few weeks ago, Potter was considered the leading contender to replace Enzo Maresca at Leicester City, only for the Foxes to hire Steve Cooper when talks collapsed, while Lyon and Ajax reportedly saw contract proposals turned down by the ex-Chelsea coach.

Potter apparently felt that neither project was right for him - potentially hinting at the 49-year-old waiting for the England job to become available - but patience will likely be needed if he is seen as the right man to end the Three Lions' trophy drought, which may be in short supply for the Wembley faithful.

Verdict: Unlikely

Eddie Howe

The first contender on this list to actually have a current employment contract in management, Eddie Howe has been tipped to leave Newcastle United behind for the chance to manage his nation on account of his standout work in the English top flight.

After eight years as Bournemouth's trailblazing head coach, the 46-year-old became the first Magpies head coach in the post-Mike Ashley era, although there was a feeling that Howe's appointment was simply a stepping stone for Newcastle to eventually attract one of the established big boys.

However, the former Burnley boss oversaw a magnificent transformation following the forgettable days of Steve Bruce, as Newcastle finished 11th in his debut campaign before ending their 20-year absence from the Champions League, although their return to UEFA's premier tournament was a forgettable affair.

While Howe has no doubt been helped by Newcastle splashing the cash - albeit not in Sandro Tonali's case yet - the Englishman has also been credited with reviving some of the Magpies' pre-takeover stars; Joelinton, Miguel Almiron and Fabian Schar have all blossomed under his wing.

In addition, the meteoric rise of Lewis Miley proves that Howe will not take age or sentiment into account when a player is performing at the peak of their powers, but the biggest sticking point is undoubtedly his long-running contract at St James' Park.

Howe still has three years left on his Newcastle deal, and Magpies CEO Darren Eales recently insisted that the 46-year-old remains "fully committed" to the North East giants in spite of interest from the FA.

Verdict: Very unlikely

Lee Carsley

Not the flashiest name on the Southgate successors shortlist, but one who has experience of winning a major international trophy - albeit at Under-21 level - key FA figures are reportedly brimming with aspiration for Lee Carsley.

The 50-year-old took the England Under-21 reins following stints as an EFL coach and caretaker manager with the likes of Brentford, Birmingham City and Sheffield United, and under his wing, the embryonic talents conquered the continent at Euro 2023.

Moreover, England won the European title without conceding a single goal - shutting out Germany, Portugal and beaten finalists Spain in that sequence - and 23 of his 29 matches in charge have now ended in victory.

Carsley was a target for the Republic of Ireland earlier this year before choosing to continue with England's Under-21s, who have scored a staggering 81 goals while conceding just 20 during his tenure, and he should also have no qualms about promoting hot prospects to the senior Three Lions ranks.

In doing so, the ex-Everton midfielder would follow in the footsteps of Southgate, who also earned his national team stars with the Under-21s before taking the first-team gig, although Carsley is yet to be appointed to a senior role on a full-time basis.

Nevertheless, the Birmingham-born coach has played a huge part in helping the Under-21s fulfil their enormous potential, and if England can swiftly hire a new youth-team coach as part of their succession plan, it would not be a shock to see Carsley take the Three Lions leap.

Verdict: Likely

Wild Card candidates

Should the FA somehow fail to attract any of the aforementioned quartet, the governing body should not be short of other willing candidates for the England job, from out-of-work world-beaters to those with a few boxes left to tick off on their CV.

After links with Manchester United and Barcelona went nowhere, ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager Tuchel is still waiting to be snapped up and would supposedly be open to a stint in national team management, where he would bring extensive trophy-winning experience.

Jurgen Klopp would also fit that brief after his emotional Liverpool exit, but the German great has been unwavering in his position that he intends to take at least a year off from football before deciding his next move; he is already believed to have turned down an approach from the USA.

Klopp's long-time touchline nemesis - Manchester City's Pep Guardiola - is a dream candidate for many England supporters growing restless, and the ex-Barcelona boss is believed to be plotting a departure from the Etihad in 2025, but not before.

Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard are still awaiting their next roles too, as is Jermain Defoe, who has only just left Tottenham Hotspur's coaching setup. However, the latter two would likely be in the frame for the Under-21s job instead, pointing towards the FA sticking with the Southgate formula and handing Carsley the keys to St George's Park.