Gary Lineker wipes away tears after emotional Match of the Day tribute on BBC farewell

Gary Lineker has bought the curtain down in his final Match of the Day as its host, ending more than two decades in the role after he and the BBC opted to go their separate ways

Gary Lineker was reduced to tears as his Match of the Day stint came to an end with an emotional tribute lead by Alan Shearer and Micah Richards in studio.

A lengthy video ran, beginning with his playing days, which saw him end up excelling at Barcelona. Then following retirement it charted his rise as a presenter, where he took on the unenviable task of replacing the great presenter Des Lynam.

Several of his colleagues – Richards, Shearer, Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson – all paid tribute to Lineker as a bloke and a presenter. His children also offered their takes, underlining his quality as a father as well as a broadcaster. The likes of Pep Guardiola and Virgil van Dijk also paid their own tributes.

Richards said: “When you think of Match of the Day, you think of Gary Lineker” whilst Shearer claimed: “He loves it, it means the world to him.” The great Italian singer, Andrea Bocelli, also paid tribute. He is best known for the iconic song “Time to Say Goodbye.”

Lineker’s final words were: “Let me take this opportunity to thank all the pundits I’ve worked with other the years, you’ve made my job a lot easier.” He also joked: “Rather like my football career everyone else did all the hard work and I got all the plaudits”.

READ MORE: Alan Shearer perfectly sums up Gary Lineker moments before Match of the Day exitREAD MORE: Gary Lineker makes trademark joke in first words on final Match of the Day episode

The broadcaster has seen his time with the BBC come to an end earlier than planned following huge backlash to a social media post put out by the former England striker. It was announced earlier this week that Sunday’s night Match of the Day would be his last.

it brings down the curtain on a relationship with the corporation that goes back more than two decades. He’s been a stalwart of the Premier League highlights programme but will hand over the reigns next season.

Lineker opened the show by joking “it wasn’t meant to end this way” before going on to make the words reflect the Premier League season, but it could equally apply to his sudden BBC exit. It came after the opening titles included highlights from Lineker’s playing career.

The 64-year-old has endured several close calls with the BBC, surviving sack calls when he put out a social media post criticising the Government. He’s remained outspoken on the conflict between Israel and Gaza and it was that which ultimately cost him.

He shared and then deleting a post on his Instagram account from the group Palestine Lobby, illustrated with a picture of a rat, which prompted calls for him to be sacked from the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA).

Tim Davie, BBC Director-General, said: “Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season.”

Lineker himself put out a statement where he said: “Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember – both on the pitch and in the studio. I care deeply about the game, and about the work I’ve done with the BBC over many years. As I’ve said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic – it goes against everything I stand for.

“However, I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.”

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.