Former Match of the Day host Gary Lineker will be on Netflix rather than the BBC this summer providing coverage of the World Cup alongside Alan Shearer and Micah Richards
Gary Lineker insists he has no regrets about leaving the BBC before the World Cup and is relishing the prospect of being on the ground in the United States rather than in “a green box in Salford”.
The 65-year-old was the face of Match of the Day for a generation before announcing plans to step down in November 2024. He was poised to stay with the corporation to front their coverage of the FA Cup and this summer’s World Cup before leaving his position earlier than planned, at the end of the 2024-25 season, following an antisemitism row after he re-shared a social media post.
Lineker has since enjoyed success in the podcast industry with his popular show, The Rest Is Football, being purchased for £14million by Netflix.
The show, which stars Lineker’s former Match of the Day colleagues Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, will air daily on the streaming giant this summer covering the World Cup. And Lineker is looking forward to being based in New York’s Times Square rather than in Salford with his former employers, who are saving money by staying in the UK.
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“I was originally going to do it for the BBC, this summer, but that didn’t transpire and I would have been in Salford in a green box and now I’m going to be in New York City overlooking Times Square with lots of great guests,” said Lineker at the launch of Netflix’s Sports Club.
Lineker, Shearer and Richards covered Euro 2024 in Berlin previously but this year’s edition for the World Cup, which will be held across the US, Canada and Mexico, will have plenty more eyes on it with Netflix’s global audience.
The former England striker landed himself in hot water during the Euros after saying England “played s***” following a dour 1-1 draw with Denmark.
But Lineker says he has no plans to rein himself in and will continue to be authentic in sharing his views on Thomas Tuchel’s side.
“With us — Alan, Micah and myself — we are also fans and we will all be cheering England but sometimes when you care that much you are probably more critical of your own team than anybody else,” he continued, as reported by The Times.
“There was a bit of furore during the Euros when I said ‘England played shit’. And they did. If I said England had played really poorly it wouldn’t have made headlines. I only said it because I cared because it was excruciating and England got lucky with their goal.
“You have to tell it as it is and we continue to do that and hopefully I won’t have to say anything like that.
“Sport is real-life drama. It is different to anything else. It is genuinely real drama and particularly World Cups. The emotions of the World Cup, you cheer your team on and it is patriotism in a good way, and it matters so much to people.”
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