Lineker, 64, the golden boy of English soccer in the 1980s and early 1990s who scored 48 times for his country, moved into broadcasting after hanging up his boots, presenting the BBC’s flagship ‘Match of the Day’ (MOTD) highlights show for 25 years.
Lineker said on Monday he would depart after Sunday’s final matches of the season. He apologised “unreservedly” last week after sharing online material that criticised Zionism and featured a picture of a rat, historically used as an insult against Jews, which drew complaints from campaigners against antisemitism.
Lineker, who was paid 1.35 million pounds ($1.80 million), was already set to step down from MOTD this year but had been due to carry on fronting the BBC’s 2026 World Cup coverage and next season’s FA Cup matches.
“It was a genuine mistake and oversight, but I should have been more diligent,“ he said in a video statement announcing his decision to step down. “I’ve stood up for minorities and humanitarian issues and against all forms of racism all of my life, including, of course, antisemitism, which I absolutely abhor.”
After a playing career in which he scored 331 goals in 654 competitive games including stints at Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona, Lineker became one of Britain’s most high-profile media figures.
But in recent years, his strong views on issues such as opposing Britain’s exit from the EU made him a lightning rod for criticism from rightwing politicians as well as newspapers and other commercial rivals of the publicly funded BBC.
Lineker will still be busy once he has stepped down. He is the co-founder of a podcasting production business, Goalhanger, which makes the hugely popular “The Rest Is...” podcasts on topics including soccer, history and politics.
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