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Gary Lineker Names His Match of the Day Replacement After Admitting Time is Nearly Up

Football legend Gary Lineker has presented Match of the Day for 23 years but could be on his way out of the BBC in the near future after launching his own podcast

BBC 5 AUG 2023

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Jermaine Jenas is making a name for himself at the BBC

Gary Lineker believes Jermaine Jenas is "drifting more towards my role" - as rumours of his Match of the Day exit continue to circulate.

The former England star, 62, has hosted the BBC's flagship football highlights show since 1999, but his position has looked in doubt over the last year. He was temporarily taken off air by the BBC in March after criticising the Tory government on Twitter.

Lineker is expected to remain as Match of the Day's host for some time yet, although news of his departure wouldn't be a massive shock. Earlier this year, he suggested that Jenas, 40, could be the person to replace him after admitting his time is "nearly up".

Rumours of Lineker's Match of the Day exit re-emerged on Friday morning after he launched a new podcast alongside BBC pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards called The Rest Is Football. The new venture has nothing to do with the BBC.

The Rest Is Football has been launched by Goalhanger Podcasts, the company co-owned by Lineker.

Goalhanger Podcasts produce some of the most popular podcasts in the UK, including The Rest Is Politics and The Rest is History.

Goalhanger Podcasts also produce Match of the Day Top 10, a football podcast involving Lineker, Shearer and Richards that's exclusive to the BBC. Mirror Football has contacted Goalhanger to see if the trio will continue hosting Match of the Day Top 10.

Lineker dropped a huge hint of his future while speaking on the Match of the Day Top 10 podcast earlier this year. He said: "Jermaine Jenas - who is probably drifting more towards my role. I think Jermaine is doing it really well as well, doing The One Show."

Richards asked Lineker if he was nervous about Jenas taking his job. He replied: "Nervous? I'm ancient. My time is nearly up."

Lineker is best known for being one of the most prolific strikers of his generation after playing for the likes of Leicester, Everton, Barcelona and Tottenham. He scored 48 goals in 80 senior appearances for England, winning the 1986 World Cup Golden Boot.

Lineker became a pundit after retiring from professional football in 1994 before taking over as the presenter of Match of the Day in 1999 when Des Lynam left the BBC for ITV. No one has hosted the BBC's flagship football results show for longer than Lineker.

Yet doubts were raised over Lineker's future at the BBC after he was taken off air in March. The ex-striker raised eyebrows when he criticised the Tory government's language towards refugees, comparing it to that "used by Germany in the 30s".

Lineker was accused of breaking the BBC's impartiality rules, despite being employed as a freelancer. The BBC's decision to take him off air was met with a backlash, as the likes of Shearer and Richards refused to go on the show in support of Lineker.

That led to Match of the Day being broadcasted without a studio presentation. The situation was resolved days later, with the BBC's director-general issuing a grovelling apology for the chaos. Yet doubts over Lineker's long-term future remain.