Gareth Southgate, the former England manager, has said he is concerned that young men are spending too much time playing video games, gambling and watching pornography.
They need better role models than those they find among influential people on the internet, he emphasizes.
At the annual lecture organized by the BBC in honor of English journalist Richard Dimbleby, he spoke about what he learned during his football career about self-belief and his toughness.
He stressed that the United Kingdom (UK) must invest more effort in encouraging young people, especially young men, to make the right decisions in life and not be afraid of failure.
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Who is Gereth Southgate?
During his playing career, Southgate was a defender and midfielder for Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, and played for the England national team from 1995 to 2004.
He became England manager in 2016 and led the team to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup, as well as the finals of the 2020 and 2024 European Championships.
Southgate resigned in July last year, two days after England lost to Spain in the European Championship final.
He is considered to have revived the English national team, and in December he was knighted.
He is the latest of many professors, businessmen and other distinguished figures to deliver the annual Richard Dimbleby Lecture, which has been held since 1972.
In previous years, speakers have included King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates, and Christine Lagarde, then Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
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'Toxic influencers'
Southgate expressed concern that many young men are looking for life guidance on the internet, instead of turning to teachers, sports coaches or leaders of youth organizations.
On the internet, he says, they find a new kind of role model who often doesn't care about the best interests of young people.
"They are ruthless, manipulative and toxic influencers, whose only goal is their own gain," Southgate said.
"They are deliberately misleading young men, convincing them that success is measured solely by money and dominance, that being strong means never showing emotion, and that the world, including women, is against them."
Southgate made the statement as the new Netflix series Adolescence (adolescence) is winning over audiences around the world.
The four-episode series is currently the most watched content in 71 countries.
The series tells the story of a 13-year-old boy who is arrested on suspicion of murdering a classmate, as well as the harmful impact of social media and misogynistic influencers on some teenagers.
The creators of the series have stated that they want it to be shown in schools and the British Parliament.
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'Too many young men are isolated'
Speaking about the importance of young men believing in themselves and being resilient, Southgate highlighted three key factors needed to build these traits: identity, connection and culture.
He cited a report by the independent think tank the UK Centre for Social Justice, published earlier this month, which said boys and young men were "in crisis" and that there had been a "staggering" increase in the number of those not in education, employment or training.
"Too many young men are isolated," Southgate said in his speech.
"Too many of them feel uncomfortable confiding in friends or family."
"Many don't have mentors - teachers, coaches, bosses - who know how best to encourage them to grow."
"And that's why, when faced with problems, young men often try to solve them themselves."
"That's why young men withdraw into themselves and are reluctant to talk about their feelings," Southgate added.
"They are spending more and more time online, seeking guidance, and falling into unhealthy patterns of behavior such as addiction to video games, gambling, and pornography."
'A toughness I didn't know existed'
Southgate also pointed out that young men don't have enough opportunities to experience failure and learn from their mistakes.
"In my opinion, if we make life too easy for young men now, life will inevitably be harder for them later when they grow up," he said.
"Too many young men today fear failure, precisely because they have had few opportunities to experience and overcome it."
"They would rather avoid trying than try and fail."
"If I've learned anything from my footballing life, it's that success is about much more than the final result," he said.
"True success is how you react in the most difficult moments."
Speaking about the penalty he missed in the semi-final of the 1996 European Championship when England lost to Germany, he said he did not let that moment define his life.
"That pain still haunts me today, and it will probably follow me forever."
"The missed penalty was a turning point that made me a stronger, better man," Southgate said.
"He forced me to confront myself, he revealed to me a belief in myself and a resilience that I didn't even know existed."
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