Gary Lineker: England’s World Cup hero turned BBC’s ‘defining voice’

The 64-year-old’s time with the British broadcaster will come to an finish on Sunday after agreeing to step down over a controversial social media submit that contained anti-Semitic imagery.

Lineker apologised unreservedly for what he described as an “oversight” in not checking the submit on Instagram about Zionism that contained a rat, traditionally used as an anti-Semitic insult.

However the incident was simply the newest in a sequence of controversies as Lineker’s outspoken political opinions on social media collided with the BBC’s strict docrine of impartiality.

Born in Leicester in 1960, Lineker realised his boyhood dream by turning skilled together with his residence city membership.

He scored over 100 objectives in six years on the Foxes and was later honoured as a Freeman of the Metropolis of Leicester.

However his goalscoring prowess at a facet not competing for trophies on the prime of the English recreation noticed him snapped up by then champions Everton in 1985.

In only one season on Merseyside, Lineker was once more the league’s prime scorer as Everton narrowly missed out on a league and cup double to native rivals Liverpool.

The 1986 World Cup was to take Lineker’s profile to a brand new degree.

His six objectives, earlier than England bowed out to Argentina in a massively controversial quarter-final, noticed him win the Golden Boot forward of Diego Maradona.

“After that first World Cup, I could not go wherever with out being jumped upon – it was a unique world,” Lineker instructed the journal 4 4 Two.

His performances caught the eye of Barcelona, who paid a princely sum on the time of £2.8 million for his companies.

Lineker spent three years on the Camp Nou and was christened with the nickname “El Matador” for his predatory ending.

On the sector he received the Copa del Rey in 1988 and Cup Winners’ Cup a 12 months later, however the spotlight of his time in Catalonia was a hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Actual Madrid in 1987.

He returned to England in 1989 as Tottenham beat out Manchester United for his signature and at last received a trophy in English soccer when Spurs lifted the 1991 FA Cup.

In between there was extra World Cup heartache in 1990 as regardless of Lineker’s 4 objectives, together with one within the semi-finals, England misplaced within the final 4 to Germany on penalties.

The ultimate stage of his membership profession was a brief stint in Japan with Grampus Eight earlier than retiring in 1994.

An increase to the highest of the sports activities broadcasting then started with appearances as a pundit BBC radio and TV.

He took over as host of “Match of the Day” in 1999 and in addition fronted BBC protection of different main occasions corresponding to Olympics.

In a press release on Monday, director normal Tim Davie described Lineker because the “defining voice in soccer protection for the BBC for over twenty years”.

He was the company’s highest paid presenter with an annual wage of £1.35 million.

As a participant, Lineker boasted an impeccable disciplinary document as he by no means acquired a yellow or purple card throughout his 16-year profession.

However his need to talk out on political issues has made him rather more tough for BBC bosses to deal with as a result of company’s committment to impartiality.

Lineker has hosted refugees in his residence and in 2016 criticised remedy of refugees within the UK as being “hideously racist and totally heartless”.

In March 2023, Lineker was briefly taken off air after evaluating the language used to launch a British authorities asylum coverage to the rhetoric of Nazi-era Germany.

The transfer by the BBC hierarchy backfired when main pundits and commentators pulled out of “Match of the Day” in a present of solidarity, leaving one of many BBC’s landmark reveals in disarray.

Lineker was already because of step other than “Match of the Day” subsequent season however had been because of entrance protection of the 2026 World Cup earlier than the newest controversy accelerated his departure.

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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

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