It started in 2018. As the England men's football team charged to the semi-finals of the World Cup, the crowds at Russia started a new chant. But it was not about England, its players or its opponents.

Fans transformed the 2001 smash hit Whole Again by girl group Atomic Kitten into a celebration of England manager Gareth Southgate. They sang: "Southgate, you're the one / You still turn me on / Football's coming home again". 

When England reached the finals of Euro 2020 last year, the chants got even louder. And on Sunday, when England face SenegalA country in west Africa with a population of 17 million. in the World Cup last 16, they might be louder still.

Southgate has become a hero for millions of England fans. And not just because of his team's astonishing successes after decades of disappointment. Southgate is beloved for his honesty, his respectfulness and even-handedness.

His personality is the very picture of decency. In the Times, columnist Ben Machell called him "mild, capable, patient and sincere". He is one of the few things a country divided by Brexit and the cost of livingThe money that someone needs to afford basic food, housing and clothes. crisis can agree on.

It shines through in his trust for his players. Take Harry Maguire. The centre-back has struggled at Manchester United all season. Fans called for Southgate to cut him from his squad. Yet Southgate trusted him. And Maguire has gone on to play a vital role in England's group stage games. 

Southgate's decency also shines in his devotion to good causes. He has roundly condemned racist abuse and discrimination against LGBT+ people. And he has joined his team in taking the kneeA symbolic gesture against racism. to support Black Lives MatterA political movement which aims to challenge police brutality and racism towards black people all across the world, usually using protests and other means of activism..

Decency has long been seen as a virtue. But some believe that it has become the most important virtue of all. Argentinian forward Lionel Messi is perhaps the best footballer in the world. But he has asked to be remembered "for being a decent guy" over his success on the pitch.¹

Social media has amplified loud and controversial opinions. The clear goodness of a man like Southgate stands out by contrast. Things are similar in politics. In the 2020 US election, Joe Biden's decency was contrasted with the danger and chaos of the Trump era. When Biden won, British politician Ed MilibandThe British Labour party leader from 2010 to 2015. tweeted: "A victory for decency."

Few would argue that decency is a bad thing. But decent people often find themselves outgunned by their more cunning enemies. History and literature is full of instances where decency was not enough. 

In the 1940s, US Justice Department prosecutorSomeone who starts and runs a legal case against someone. O. John Rogge found proof of elected politicians supporting a Nazi German takeover of the country. But his powerful opponents had him fired. The novels of Thomas HardyAn English novelist and poet., such as Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891)and Jude the Obscure (1895), focus on decent characters who find themselves taken advantage of. Both end in tragedy.²

As the British prime minister Harold MacMillanThe Conservative prime minister of the UK from 1957 to 1963. once said: "Decency is very good... but I don't think it's enough."³ It needs to be paired with other virtues - courage, wisdom, proactivity - to be effective.

Yes: In a world of dangers and threats, Southgate's calm decency is a breath of fresh air. His decency gives us a realistic model of how we should behave if we want to create a better, fairer society. 

No: Decency is a force for good. But it is a quiet one. Decent people make the world a more pleasant place, but they seldom transform it. The greatest virtues are those which help us to shout loudly. 

Or... Virtues are shaped by time and place. What is virtuous in one situation is not necessarily virtuous in another. It follows that decency is sometimes the most important virtue, and sometimes the least.