With Gary Lineker set to leave Match Of The Day after 25 years, the debate has begun over who should step into his shoes – and the results have revealed one clear winner
Gary Lineker will step down from his role on Match of the Day at the end of the current football season, after fronting the show for 25-years – but who do YOU think should replace him?
The former England striker has been the longest-serving host in MOTD’s history, after replacing presenter Des Lynam in 1999. Lineker joined the Premier League highlights show following an impressive career that included stints at Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, and Tottenham (not to mention leading England’s attack during the 1990 World Cup).
His switch from the pitch to the studio seemed a natural progression, and it didn’t take long for him to settle into his role fronting the flagship sports programme. The 63-year-old recently topped the list as the BBC’s highest-earning individual, taking home a whopping £1.35million a year.
Over the years, Gary’s time as host has produced some great moments, including the cheeky exchanges with fellow pundits such as Ian Wright, where their playful banter often turned into one of the highlights of the show. But his stellar broadcasting career has also been marked by some controversy, most notably in March last year when he was briefly absent from Match of the Day following his social media comments criticising the UK government’s asylum policies.
Speaking to the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, ex-BBC director general Greg Dyke hailed Lineker as “the outstanding sports presenter of his time”, adding “life moves on, presenters don’t stay forever” but he will be a “big loss”. However, it is understood that the pundit will stay at the BBC until the end of the 2026 World Cup, which is being held in the US, Mexico, and Canada, reports Sky News.
As the search for Lineker’s replacement commences, we asked Mirror readers to vote for who they think should fill his boots – and the results are officially in. A whopping 36 percent said host Mark Chapman should take the top spot, after gaining popularity on Match of the Day 2, the football highlights show that airs on Sunday evenings.
He has also presented BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sports Report and Monday Night Club, suggesting he could be a strong contender for the prime time spot. Voicing their thoughts in the comments section, one reader penned: “If I were to go for anyone I’d choose Mark Chapman. He’s funny but serious when need be!”
A second agreed: “Mark Chapman would be great. Lineker a huge loss though. He is the face of MOTD,” while a third echoed: “Chappers for me.” Former England striker Alan Shearer gained 20 percent of votes, following his regular appearances on MOTD and Amazon Prime Video’s Champions League.
In joint third place sits former Football Focus host Dan Walker and BBC Sport legend Gabby Logan, who both accumulated 14 percent of votes. Meanwhile, Alex Scott ( 7%), Laura Woods (3%), Kelly Cates (3%), Eilidh Barbour (2%), and Kelly Somers (1%) are also rumoured replacements.
We also asked readers if they will miss Lineker on their screens, to which 56 percent said yes, while 44 percent admitted that they would not. When asked if they would still watch MOTD, around 78 percent said they would still tune in, while 22 percent said they would switch off.
And a hefty 65 percent confessed that they wouldn’t want to see Jermaine Jenas back on MOTD after being axed in August – while 35 voiced that he should return to his presenting gig.
Who do you think should replace Gary Lineker on Match of the Day? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below and you can still vote in our poll HERE to have your say.
Please note that the poll is still live, so these results may change after the article has been published.
