Gareth Southgate has taken charge of England at three major tournaments (Picture: Getty)

Joey Barton has slammed England boss Gareth Southgate and has urged him to resign following defeat to France in the World Cup quarter-finals.

Southgate took over as England boss in 2016 and has been the most successful Three Lions manager since Alf Ramsey guided the country to glory in 1966.

Southgate has taken charge of England at three major tournaments including a run to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 – their joint second-best finish ever.

At Euro 2020, England finished as runners-up after losing to Italy in the final on penalties – the Three Lions’ best-ever performance at a European Championships.

But England could not progress past the last eight under Southgate this time around, crashing out in the quarter-finals in Qatar after a narrow 2-1 defeat to world champions France.

Bristol Rovers boss Barton, who was capped once by England as a player, has urged Southgate to quit and took aim at him over a Pizza Hut advert in 1996.

‘Can’t believe Southgate hasn’t resigned yet,’ Barton said. ‘That’s two World Cups and a home European Championship we could/should have won.

‘Stop rewarding failure. Got to go. Time to hire somebody who can win. Pizza Hut advert years ago. Enough said.

‘Time for him to move on. You have to win. He’s a nice guy but he isn’t a winner.

‘When he put Pizza Box on his head after missing the pen, he was done with. No self respecting man would ever do that. Sorry. He’s had his time. Move him on.’

Barton was appointed Bristol Rovers boss last year after three years managing Fleetwood Town.

He is perhaps best known for his playing career with stints at Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queen’s Park Rangers, Marseille, Burnley and Rangers.

Barton was cleared of assaulting his wife in a ‘drunken row’ earlier this year and in 2021 he was found not guilty of assaulting a rival manager in the tunnel.

MORE : Declan Rice wants ‘brilliant’ boss Gareth Southgate to stay on at England

MORE : Gareth Southgate ‘conflicted’ over whether he stays on as England boss

‘Pizza Hut advert… Enough said’