Gary Lineker chooses surprise Premier League venue to celebrate 65th birthday

The legendary former England and Barcelona striker, who spent almost three decades at the helm of BBC’s flagship football show Match of the Day, celebrated his birthday by taking in a top-flight game on Sunday

Gary Lineker was at Selhurst Park watching Crystal Palace take on Manchester United as the former Match of the Day presenter celebrated his 65th birthday. The former England striker watched on as United staged a fightback against Palace to claim all three points, with goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount securing the victory.

TNT Sports’ cameras picked out the ex-England international during the opening period, with commentators Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist marking his 65th birthday on air.

His son George also posted a birthday tribute on Instagram, saying: “Happy birthday to the old man. Keep smashing it.” Gary reshared the message on his own Instagram stories.

Lineker has been without a regular presenting role since his widely-publicised departure from Match of the Day in May. At the point of leaving, he had become the programme’s longest-serving host, fronting the BBC’s premier football programme from 1999 through to 2025.

Last month, Lineker announced he would be making a television comeback to present ITV’s upcoming programme The Box. Filming is scheduled for later this year, with the show set to broadcast in 2026.

Discussing the new venture, Lineker said: “I can’t wait to host The Box. I’ve always felt right at home in the box on a football pitch and whilst this is a different proposition, the fundamentals are similar. The contestants will have to quickly and masterfully work out how each game works, whilst also trying to get ahead of the competition to take control.

“It’s going to be unpredictable and thrilling to watch, and I’m excited that I get to have a front row seat to all the action!”.

READ MORE: Man Utd player ratings as 8/10 star shines in big win over Crystal PalaceREAD MORE: Gary Lineker put Man Utd boss on the spot when asking if it’s his final game

United’s victory in south London ensured that they bounced back from Monday night’s dismal defeat at home to Everton – a result which had ended an encouraging five-match unbeaten run.

Asked about his side being the top six post-game, Amorim said: “In this moment I just want to evaluate our team. We need to evolve and create variety in how we build-up – that’s the most important thing.”

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