Does being a Runner Up counts for something?

Nothing at all. Worst feeling. Getting knocked out at the group stages would be preferable.
 
In a knockout format that can see you reach the final without playing any of the main contenders, it counts for nothing.
 
Yes, under some very specific circumstances.

I think it counts if you've over performed, been particularly entertaining and narrowly lost out to a superior team.

It's very rare those 3 conditions apply to Manchester United and they 100% do not apply to England at any major tournament during Southgate's tenure.
 
It depends on how you do it. Everybody still remembers 74-78 NL, 50 years on. England have been second twice but have been between unremarkable and unwatchable for most of it.
 
Of course it counts for something, but ultimately it is a hollow something, because you want to win.

Do people think our run to the CL final in 2009 doesn't count for anything just because we ended up losing the final? I don't believe so.
 
Yes of course. Its better than the Dutch and Germans. But still worse than the Italians that won it and then went out early
 
These discussions take place in tennis and basketball all the time. Ultimately, reaching a final and losing is failing at the finishing line. You ran the winner close, but you didn't get it done.
 
Personally I'd take losing in the final all day long. You're in the competition all the way to the end! There's nothing worse than going out early and having to watch the latter stages of the competition with no skin in the game. The days between the semi-final and the final were special for me - I could hardly sleep. Like a kid before christmas. I don't care that it was ruined by not winning, but then I am English so I have loser DNA.
 
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