In an encouraging opening hour at Wembley, Adam Lallana's penalty and Jamie Vardy's header built a two-goal lead against an understrength Spain side.
Southgate looked on course for his third win from four games since he was appointed on a temporary basis but an 89th-minute debut goal from Iago Aspas and a stoppage-time finish from fellow substitute Isco then secured a draw which the 46-year-old admitted felt like a defeat.
Southgate is widely expected to be announced as Sam Allardyce's permanent successor in the coming weeks, and discussing the four-game spell that began with last month's 2-0 defeat of Malta, he said: "I've learned a lot about the role. I've proved to myself I can manage big matches, that I can tactically - with the help of my staff - prepare the team to play a top side and give them a really tough test.
"I feel every situation we've been through - many of which have been complex, and potential powderkegs - we've coped with very well.
"This has been a brilliant experience, I've thoroughly enjoyed working with the players; I can see the potential of the group.
"When I took over it was a moment of instability for everybody. We've brought stability back and built a platform for the team to push forward. In terms of the remit we were asked to do, we've fulfilled that.
"I'm proud to have led the country for a couple of really important games and experienced what that feels like."
Asked why he continues to decline opportunities to publicly declare his interest in the manager's job, he then said: "I don't think that's the way people should do their business. It's right to speak privately about those matters.
"The whole focus has been on getting results for the team and the country, and I'm proud to have done that, but it's right to be private about those matters."
Southgate has made no secret of his intention to finally give England a consistent identity, and of the way there is much they can take from the Spanish template.
Spain similarly experienced generations of underachievement before years of success began with victory at Euro 2008, and their manager Julen Lopetegui - who like Southgate once managed his country's Under-21 team - spoke highly of the progress he believes England have already made.
"Their plans were working better than ours," said the 50-year-old. "We could see they were utilising the space we were leaving for them and things weren't easy. The penalty was a really good example of that. They were better than us at the start.
"We tried to match that intensity but throughout that first 45 minutes, England were much more intense than ourselves. They really showed their virtues and what's good about the English game in that half.
"To pull a draw out of the fire was great; it showed we never gave up. We came away from a difficult fixture with the draw.
"(Southgate's) already working very, very well. You can see his team: it's fast, has quality, a good mentality, and is good tactically. I hope for the best for him and the England team."
source: Sportinglife
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