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Gareth Southgate's Pizza Hut Advert From 1996 Is Essential Viewing

Gareth Southgate's Pizza Hut Advert From 1996 Is Essential Viewing

The England manager starred in the advert shortly after missing a vital penalty in Euro 96

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

He might be responsible for football coming home, but I'm going to be honest with you - for me, Gareth Southgate peaked back in 1996 when he stared in this advert for Pizza Hut, shortly after he missed a vital penalty for his country.


I'm just going to watch that on a loop until Saturday, I reckon.

I mean, we can safely assume the England manager is having a pretty good week, with the entire nation behind him and his team as they prepare to face Sweden tomorrow.

However, the public feeling towards Southgate today is a far cry from how things were back in 1996, when England were knocked out of the Euros at the semis after he missed a penalty. That made the touching moment when he consoled Colombia's Mateus Uribe, who hit the crossbar against England on Tuesday, even more poignant.

PA

Back in 1996, Southgate, not content with being public enemy number one, seemingly thought, 'I've got nothing to lose' and agreed to star in an advert for Pizza Hut where he good humouredly took the piss out of himself.

I very much doubt you'd get Janne Andersson willing to hold himself up for such a public humilation for a well-known pizza chain. Wouldn't happen. So once again, we're proving the calibre of our manager here.

Speaking to FourFourTwo a few years back, Southgate admitted: "I wish I hadn't done it." Why, mate? It's solid TV gold.

Southgate added: "Every single day now when I walk down the street it is always mentioned to me."

But, on the bright side, at least he brought along Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle to share in his shame, while also enjoying some of the weakest jokes I have ever heard.

PA

"Come on, Gareth," chortles Pearce, who famously missed a World Cup penalty for England in a 1990 semifinal against West Germany. "It only took me six years to get over it."

Best hope that zinger was scripted, mate.

And let's be honest, Southgate's redeemed himself now, hasn't he? Safely leading England to this point in the competition, while simultaneously becoming a style icon, full-time lovely fella and a sex symbol (ask your mum), so we can forgive him this advert and, in time, the missed penalty - especially if we get a win tomorrow.

Which we will, won't we? Because - I don't know if you've heard - it's coming home.

Featured Image Credit: Pizza Hut/PA

Topics: SPORT, TV and Film, World Cup 2018, England, Gareth Southgate, UK Entertainment