An emotional Gary Lineker bid farewell to Match of the Day on Sunday night time after 25 years because the present’s presenter.
The previous England striker has left the BBC sooner than deliberate after apologising for sharing a publish that led to accusations of anti-semitism.
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Lineker was at all times resulting from step down from Match of the Day on the finish of the 2024/25 marketing campaign, however will now not be a part of the BBC’s protection of subsequent season’s FA Cup or the 2026 World Cup.
Sitting alongside Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, the 64-year-old opened his closing episode of the Premier League highlights present with a traditional one-liner.
“It wasn’t meant to finish this fashion,” he started. “However with the title race over and the relegation locations confirmed, the Champions League was all we had left to speak about.”
The present was plagued by references to Lineker’s departure from each his co-hosts and interviewees, together with Liverpool supervisor Arne Slot, whose group lifted the Premier League trophy on Sunday.
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Slot stated: “Thanks for being an awesome presenter of a BBC present I’ve watched many occasions once I lived in Holland and now nonetheless.
“Nice what you probably did and (I’d have) preferred that I may provide you with a Liverpool shirt as a substitute of the opposite golf equipment you performed for.”
Because the present drew to a detailed, the BBC performed a seven-minute clip with tributes to Lineker from internationally of soccer, that includes Shearer, Richards, Ian Wright, Danny Murphy, Alan Smith, Alan Hansen, Man Mowbay, Paul Gascoigne, Peter Shilton, Virgil van Dijk, Pep Guardiola, Slot, Claudio Ranieri, and Andrea Bocelli.
Lineker was seen wiping away tears earlier than giving his personal farewell speech to the viewers at house.
Preventing again extra tears, he stated: “Let me take the chance to thank all the opposite pundits I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the past 25 years. You’ve got made my job a lot simpler.
“Additionally, because of all these you do not see at house. The work that goes into making this iconic present is a big group effort.
Gary Lineker tributes (chosen)
Virgil van Dijk: “He is a legend and I used to be lucky to satisfy him a few occasions.”
Micah Richards: “His biggest energy, when all of the stuff that is happening in our ears, he is the calmest individual within the room. Thanks very a lot for all the recommendation, all of the help. You’ve got been completely instrumental.”
Ian Wright: “I want you all the most effective my good friend, as a result of I like you very a lot.”
Alan Shearer: ”Match of the Day is all the pieces to him. He loves it, it means the world to him. Off air he is very calm, very beneficiant. You might be a tremendous good friend.”
Pep Guardiola: “I like the programme, I’m an enormous fan, hopefully life offers you the following problem.”
“From the editors to the evaluation group, from the commentators to the ground managers, from the producers to the digital camera operators, from the PAs to the subs. Thanks all, you are the perfect.
“Very like my soccer profession, everybody else did all of the onerous work and I acquired the plaudits.
“It has been an absolute privilege to host Match of the Day for 1 / 4 of a century. It has been completely joyous.
“I would wish to want Gabby (Logan), Mark (Chapman), and Kelly (Cates) all the most effective after they sit within the chair The programme is in the most effective of palms.
“My closing thanks goes to all of you. Thanks for watching. Thanks for all of your love and help through the years. It has been so particular.
“I am sorry that your group was at all times on final. Time to say goodbye.”