Fans Throw Cups at England Manager Gareth Southgate Following 0-0 Draw with Slovenia at Euro 2024

In a tense moment at Euro 2024, England fans expressed their frustration by hurling plastic beer cups at manager Gareth Southgate after a goalless draw against Slovenia on Tuesday.

Despite the England squad securing a spot in the round of 16 as the winner of Group C, the scene turned sour at Cologne Stadium when supporters threw plastic cups onto the field as Southgate and his team approached to applaud the fans after the final whistle.

Addressing the incident, Southgate stated, “I understand it. I’m not going to back away from it. The most important thing here is that the supporters stay with the team. I understand the narrative towards me, and that’s better than it being towards them (the players). But it is creating an unusual environment to operate in. I’ve not seen any team qualify and receive similar.”

Southgate also reflected on the criticism from former England captain and current BBC presenter Gary Lineker, which he claimed to be unaware of before Monday. However, he acknowledged the fans' unrest following the draw.

“We’ve made England over the last six or seven years fun again. I think it has been enjoyable for the players. We’ve got to be very, very careful that it stays that way,” Southgate remarked.

Although England had already secured advancement prior to the match against Slovenia, winning Group C means they will face one of the third-placed qualifying teams in the round of 16, avoiding early clashes with heavyweights like Spain, France, Germany, and Portugal.