View source for Gary Lineker

{{Short description|English footballer (born 1960)}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Gary Lineker<br/><small>{{post-nominals|country=GBR|OBE}}</small>
| image = Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosts St George's Day Reception (54470857860) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Lineker in 2025
| birth_name = Gary Winston Lineker<ref>{{Hugman|11754|access-date=3 June 2020}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|11|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Leicester]], England
| height = {{convert|1.77|m|order=flip}}
| position = [[Striker (association football)|Striker]]
| youthyears1 = 1976–1978
| youthclubs1 = [[Leicester City F.C. Reserves and Academy|Leicester City]]
| years1 = 1978–1985
| clubs1 = [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]
| caps1 = 194
| goals1 = 95
| years2 = 1985–1986
| clubs2 = [[Everton F.C.|Everton]]
| caps2 = 41
| goals2 = 30
| years3 = 1986–1989
| clubs3 = [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]]
| caps3 = 103
| goals3 = 42
| years4 = 1989–1992
| clubs4 = [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]]
| caps4 = 105
| goals4 = 67
| years5 = 1992–1994
| clubs5 = [[Nagoya Grampus]]
| caps5 = 18
| goals5 = 4
| totalcaps = 461
| totalgoals = 238
| nationalyears1 = 1984
| nationalteam1 = [[England B national football team|England B]]
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 1984–1992
| nationalteam2 = [[England national football team|England]]
| nationalcaps2 = 80
| nationalgoals2 = 48
}}
'''Gary Winston Lineker''' (born 30 November 1960) is an English [[Sports broadcasting|sports broadcaster]] and former professional [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Striker (association football)|striker]]. Regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of England's greatest players, Lineker is the only player to have been the top goalscorer in England with three clubs: [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]], [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] and [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]]. He also played for [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] in Spain, and won 80 caps for [[England national football team|England]]. His media career began with the [[BBC]], where he presented the flagship football programme ''[[Match of the Day]]'' from 1999 until 2025, the longest tenure of any ''MOTD'' presenter. Lineker was also the BBC's lead presenter for live football matches, including coverage of international tournaments such as the [[FIFA World Cup]]. He has also worked for [[beIN Sports (Middle East TV channel)|Al Jazeera Sports]], [[Fox Sports Eredivisie|Eredivisie Live]], [[NBCSN|NBC Sports Network]], and [[TNT Sports (United Kingdom)|BT Sport]]'s coverage of the [[UEFA Champions League]].

Lineker began his football career at Leicester City in 1978, and finished as the [[Football League First Division|First Division]]'s joint top goalscorer in [[1984–85 Football League#First Division|1984–85]]. He then moved to league champions Everton, where he won both the [[PFA Players' Player of the Year]] and [[FWA Footballer of the Year]] awards in his debut season, before moving to Spanish club Barcelona, where he won the [[1987–88 Copa del Rey]] and the [[1989 European Cup Winners' Cup Final|1989 European Cup Winners' Cup]]. He joined Tottenham Hotspur in 1989, and won his second FWA Footballer of the Year and the [[FA Cup]], his only major trophy in English football. Lineker's final club was [[Nagoya Grampus|Nagoya Grampus Eight]]; he retired in 1994 after two seasons at the Japanese side.

Lineker made his England debut in 1984, earning 80 [[Cap (sport)|caps]] and scoring 48 goals over an eight-year international career, which made him England's second-highest goalscorer on his retirement. He remains England's fourth-highest scorer, behind [[Harry Kane]], [[Wayne Rooney]] and [[Bobby Charlton]], and his goals-to-games ratio remains one of the best for the country.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.englandstats.com/player.php?pid=1207| title = englandstats.com {{!}} 1207 Harry Kane (2015 - 2021)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.11v11.com/teams/england/tab/stats/option/scorers/|title=England national football team statistics and records: top scorers|website=11v11.com|accessdate=27 May 2021}}</ref> His six goals in the [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986 World Cup]] made him the tournament's top scorer, receiving the [[World Cup Golden Boot|Golden Boot]], and he came second in the 1986 [[Ballon d'Or#Winners|Ballon d'Or]]. Lineker was again integral to England's progress to the semi-finals of the [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990 World Cup]], scoring another four goals. He still holds England's record for goals in the World Cup.

Lineker never received a [[Caution (football)|yellow]] or [[Dismissal (football)|red card]] during his career,<ref>{{cite news |last=Dart |first=James |title=Multi-talented footballers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/aug/10/theknowledge.sport |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=10 August 2005}}</ref> and he also never won a top-flight league title.<ref>{{cite news |last=Davies |first=Huw|title=The 16 best players never to win a league title |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/16-best-players-never-win-a-league-title |work=[[FourFourTwo]] |date=21 November 2018}}</ref> He was honoured in 1990 with the [[FIFA Fair Play Award]]. In a senior career which spanned 16 years and 654 competitive games, Lineker scored a total of 331 goals, including 283 goals at club level. After his retirement from football he was inducted into the [[English Football Hall of Fame]]. A keen supporter of Leicester City, he led a consortium in 2002 that invested in his old club, saving it from bankruptcy, and was appointed honorary vice-president.

==Early life==
Gary Winston Lineker was born on 30 November 1960 in [[Leicester]], the son of Margaret P. (Abbs) and Barry Lineker.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gary Lineker |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersL/BioLinekerGW.html |work=englandfootballonline.com |date=15 April 2016 |access-date=26 June 2018}}</ref> He was given his middle name in honour of [[Winston Churchill]], with whom he shares a birthday.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lovejoy |first=Joe |title=The big interview: Gary Lineker |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/the-big-interview-gary-lineker-mhhxl325rzj |work=[[The Times]] |date=14 March 2004 |access-date=29 June 2018}}</ref> He has one brother, Wayne, who is two years his junior. Lineker grew up with his family in the city, playing football with Wayne.<ref name="Observer">{{cite news |last=Ferguson |first=Euan |date=8 April 2007 |title=He's still the golden shot |work=[[The Observer]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/apr/08/golf.broadcasting |access-date=15 December 2008}}</ref> Their father was a greengrocer, as were their grandfather William and great-grandfather George,<ref>{{cite web |title=Gary Lineker – Who Do You Think You Are? |url=https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2013/who-do-you-think-you-are/gary-lineker-6/ |publisher=TheGenealogist |access-date=26 June 2014}}</ref> in Leicester. Barry Lineker ran Lineker's fruit and veg stall in [[Leicester Market]], and as a child and a young player Gary regularly helped out on the stall.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tributes pour in after Gary Lineker announces his father's death |url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/tributes-pour-after-gary-lineker-391946 |work=[[Leicester Mercury]] |date=29 August 2017 |access-date=16 September 2017}}</ref> Lineker, who is white, received racial abuse as a child for his dark features.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Okundaye |first1=Jason |title=Why Gary Lineker was right to speak out about receiving racist abuse |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/23/gary-lineker-receiving-racist-abuse-former-footballer-racism |access-date=23 June 2022 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=23 June 2022}}</ref>

Lineker first attended Caldecote Road School<ref>{{cite web |title=Caldecote Primary |url=http://www.caldecote.leicester.sch.uk |publisher=Caldecote.leicester.sch.uk |access-date=19 January 2013}}</ref> (Caldecote Juniors), [[Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields|Braunstone]] in Leicester (east of the Meridian Centre). He then went to the City of Leicester Boys' Grammar School (now [[City of Leicester College]]) on Downing Drive in [[Evington]], owing to his preference for football rather than rugby, which was the main sport of most schools near his home. Lineker was equally talented at both football and [[cricket]]. From the ages of 11 to 16 he captained the Leicestershire Schools cricket team, and had felt that he had a higher chance of succeeding at it rather than football.<ref name="indep">{{cite news |title=Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Gary Lineker |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/passedfailed-an-education-in-the-life-of-gary-lineker-match-of-the-day-presenter-and-former-footballer-1915343.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=4 March 2010}}</ref> He later stated on ''[[They Think It's All Over (TV series)|They Think It's All Over]]'' that as a teenager he idolised former [[England cricket team|England]] captain [[David Gower]], who was playing for [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club|Leicestershire]] at the time.<ref>{{cite episode |title=6-02 |episode-link=List of They Think It's All Over episodes#Series 6 |series=They Think It's All Over |series-link=They Think It's All Over (TV series) |season=6 |number=2 |network=[[BBC One|BBC1]] |date=19 November 1998}}</ref> During his youth he played for [[Aylestone Park F.C.|Aylestone Park Youth]], later becoming the club's president.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/7934620.stm|title=Grass-roots football gets £11m|publisher=BBC News|date=10 March 2009}}</ref>

Lineker left school with four [[O Level]]s. One of his teachers wrote on his report card that he "concentrates too much on football" and that he would "never make a living at that". He then joined the youth academy at [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] in 1976.<ref name="indep" />

==Club career==
===Leicester City===
Lineker began his career at his hometown club Leicester City after leaving school in 1977, turning professional in the [[1978–79 in English football|1978–79]] season and making his senior debut on New Year's Day 1979 in a 2–0 win at [[Filbert Street]] over [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] in the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]. He earned a Second Division title medal a year later with 19 appearances, but played just nine league games in [[1980–81 in English football|1980–81]] as Leicester were relegated.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Lineker became a regular player in [[1981–82 in English football|1981–82]], scoring 19 goals in all competitions that season. Although Leicester missed out on promotion, they reached the semi-finals of the [[FA Cup]], and clinched promotion a year later as Lineker scored 26 times in the Second Division. In [[1983–84 in English football|1983–84]], he enjoyed regular First Division action for the first time and was the division's second-highest scorer with 22 goals, although Leicester finished in 15th place. He was the First Division's joint top scorer in [[1984–85 in English football|1984–85]] with 24 goals, and enjoyed a prolific partnership with [[Alan Smith (footballer, born 1962)|Alan Smith]].{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

===Everton===
In the 1985 close season, defending league champions [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] signed Lineker for £800,000; he scored 40 goals in 57 games for his new team in the [[1985–86 in English football|1985–86]] season. Lineker's first game for Everton happened to be away to Leicester City; at half time, he walked into the Leicester dressing room by mistake.<ref>{{cite news |title=Match of Their Day: Phil Neville picks his classic games |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52561522 |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=10 May 2020 |access-date=12 May 2020 |language=en-GB}}</ref> He was again the First Division's leading goalscorer, this time with 30 goals (including three hat-tricks), and helped Everton finish second in the league. While at Everton, they reached the [[FA Cup]] final for the third consecutive year but lost 3–1 to [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]], despite Lineker giving them an early lead when he outpaced [[Alan Hansen]] to score. Liverpool had also pipped Everton to the title by two points.<ref name="echo">{{cite web |title=Gary Lineker: Everton were the best team I ever played for |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gary-lineker-everton-were-best-3464406 |website=Liverpool Echo |access-date=17 April 2023 |date=11 December 2008}}</ref> 

Lineker scored three [[hat-tricks]] for Everton; at home to [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]] in a 4–1 league win on 31 August 1985, at home to [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] in a 4–0 win on 11 February 1986, and then in the penultimate league game of the season on 3 May 1986, when they kept their title hopes alive with a 6–1 home win over [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]]. On his final league appearance, he scored twice in a 3–1 home win over [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]. Lineker and his Everton colleagues were denied title glory as Liverpool also won their final league game of the season at Chelsea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.evertonresults.com/198586.htm|title=Everton Results|website=www.evertonresults.com}}</ref> Lineker later said in 2008 that this Everton team was the best club side he ever played in, stating: "I was only on Merseyside a short time, nine or 10 months in total really, but it was still a happy time personally, while professionally it was one of the most successful periods of my career. I still have an affinity towards Everton."<ref name="echo"/>

===Barcelona===
After winning the [[World Cup Golden Boot|Golden Boot]] at the [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986 World Cup]] in Mexico there were many courters for Lineker across Europe. Barcelona at the time were managed by fellow Englishman [[Terry Venables]], who had arrived in 1984, and who had already brought in [[Scotland national football team|Scottish]] striker [[Steve Archibald]] to great effect, and was to also bring in [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] and [[Wales national football team|Wales]] striker [[Mark Hughes]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2016/01/12/nunez-maradona-and-venables-the-barcelona-years/|title=Nunez, Maradona and Venables: the Barcelona years|date=12 January 2016}}</ref> Lineker was signed by [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] for £2.8&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gary-lineker-everton-inside-story-17986564|title=Gary Lineker, Everton and the inside story of his £2.8m move|first=David|last=Prentice|date=26 March 2020|work=Liverpool Echo}}</ref> Barcelona would give Lineker his first chance of European football, as Leicester had never qualified for Europe while he played for them, and Everton were denied a place in the [[European Cup]] for 1985–86 due to the ban on English clubs in European competitions following the [[Heysel disaster]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=English football clubs banned from Europe {{!}} June 2, 1985 |url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/english-football-clubs-banned-from-europe |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=History|date=16 November 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ap |date=1985-06-03 |title=English Soccer Clubs Are Banned From European Play Indefinitely |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/03/world/english-soccer-clubs-are-banned-from-european-play-indefinitely.html |access-date=2024-06-02 |work=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-02-25 |title=European Football Union Bans English Soccer Teams |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1985/06/03/european-football-union-bans-english-soccer-teams/04959dae-2e33-4962-984c-e197b98d9601/ |access-date=2024-06-02 |newspaper=Washington Post|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

Barcelona had won the [[1984–85 La Liga|1984–85 La Liga title]] in Venables' first season at the club, and the [[1986 Copa de la Liga]] the following season but had lost two other finals, so there was great anticipation of success at the [[Camp Nou]] for Lineker. He made his Barcelona debut against [[Racing de Santander|Racing Santander]], scoring twice.<ref name="Tremlett2008">{{cite book|author=Giles Tremlett|title=Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through a Country's Hidden Past|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nt5pkqkSsiEC&pg=PT228|date=2 October 2008|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0-571-24790-5|pages=228–}}</ref> Barcelona led the league for much of the [[1986–87 FC Barcelona season|1986–87 season]], until a pair of losses against Real Zaragoza and Sporting Gijon gave advantage to Real Madrid. Two further losses to the same team cemented Barcelona's second place finish. Lineker ultimately had scored 20 goals in 40 league games during his first season, including a [[hat-trick]] in a 3–2 win over archrivals [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]] to make him somewhat of a cult hero.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.talkfootball.co.uk/guides/football_legends_gary_lineker.html|title=Gary Lineker|access-date=9 March 2008|publisher=Talk Football}}</ref> However the club had crashed out of the Copa del Rey at the first hurdle, and suffered a shock defeat to [[Dundee United]] in the quarter-final of the [[1987 UEFA Cup final|1986–87 UEFA Cup]].

For the [[1987–88 FC Barcelona season|1987–88 season]] hopes were still high for the club, but following three consecutive losses at the start of the season Terry Venables was dismissed and [[Luis Aragonés]] brought in to replace him as manager. Lineker's form remained strong, and he scored twice against Real Madrid in a 4–1 win in December. He finished the season with 16 goals in 35 league games as the club finished 6th. The club won the [[1988 Copa del Rey final|1988 Copa del Rey]], but were eliminated in the quarter-final of the UEFA Cup.

In the summer, the club endured a tumultuous off season that culminated in the "[[Josep Lluís Núñez#Hesperia Mutiny|Hesperia Mutiny]]" that saw a large number of players and coaches fired after protesting pay and conditions at the club.<ref name="Hesperia">{{cite web | title=The 1988 Motín del Hesperia: can Barcelona now learn from it? | website=Barca Universal | date=2020-09-02 | url=https://barcauniversal.com/the-1988-motin-del-hesperia-can-barcelona-now-learn-from-it/ | access-date=2025-04-04}}</ref> In the aftermath Barcelona moved to sign former player for the club during their last most successful era, and current Ajax manager [[Johan Cruyff]]. The club set about rebuilding its team, retaining only a skeleton of the squad that had finished the 1987–88 season in 6th place – including Lineker. The impact of Cruyff was immediate. Barcelona became a much more attacking side, and finished the season [[1988–89 FC Barcelona season|1988–89 season]] in a much improved second place. However Lineker lost his favoured position at centre forward to new signing [[Julio Salinas]], and saw himself pushed out wide right for most of the season resulting in both the lowest goal output (6) and appearances (26) in the league of Lineker's career as a starter. The club won [[1989 European Cup Winners' Cup final]] where Lineker fared better than previous seasons, scoring four times in 8 outings.

As the season came to an end, Barcelona was seeking to raise much needed funds for Cruyff and to free up the "foreigner" spot in the squad to continue his rebuilding project at the club, while Lineker was desperate to find first team opportunities in his favoured position.<ref name="IrishTimesCruyff">{{cite news | last=Lowe | first=Sid | title=Gary Lineker: Barcelona spell is when it dawned on me that I was good at this | newspaper=The Irish Times | date=2021-10-23 | url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/gary-lineker-barcelona-spell-is-when-it-dawned-on-me-that-i-was-good-at-this-1.4709165 | access-date=2025-04-04}}</ref>

With 42 goals in 103 La Liga appearances, Lineker had become the highest scoring British player in the competition's history, this was later surpassed by [[Gareth Bale]] in March 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Southcombe|first=Matthew|date=20 March 2016|title=Gareth Bale breaks La Liga goalscoring record|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gareth-bale-becomes-top-british-11070005|access-date=1 February 2021|website=WalesOnline|language=en}}</ref>

===Tottenham Hotspur===
[[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] manager [[Alex Ferguson]] attempted to sign Lineker to partner his ex-Barcelona teammate [[Mark Hughes]] in attack,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/gary-lineker-i-almost-joined-manchester-united-then-spurs-pulled-it|title=Gary Lineker: I almost joined Manchester United – but then Spurs pulled it off|publisher=[[FourFourTwo]]|access-date=30 November 2020|date=20 November 2015}}</ref> but Lineker instead signed for [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] in July 1989 for £1.1&nbsp;million. Over three seasons, he scored 67 goals in 105 league games and won the FA Cup while playing for the club. He finished as top scorer in the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] in the [[1989–90 in English football|1989–90]] season, scoring 24 goals as Spurs finished third.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Lineker finally collected an English trophy when he won the [[1991 FA Cup final]] with Spurs, who beat [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]] 2–1. This was despite Lineker having a goal controversially disallowed for offside and also having a penalty saved by goalkeeper [[Mark Crossley]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/archive/E-ON-Great-Saves-1991-FA-Cup-final-special-Totttenham-2-1-Nottingham-Forest-unseen-pictures-of-Mark-Crossley-Gary-Lineker-Brian-Clough-and-co-plus-original-Daily-Mirror-match-reports-and-features-from-our-archive-article321299.html|title=E.ON Great Saves No.6: Mark Crossley|publisher=Mirror Football|access-date=1 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307134941/http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/archive/E-ON-Great-Saves-1991-FA-Cup-final-special-Totttenham-2-1-Nottingham-Forest-unseen-pictures-of-Mark-Crossley-Gary-Lineker-Brian-Clough-and-co-plus-original-Daily-Mirror-match-reports-and-features-from-our-archive-article321299.html|archive-date=7 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Lineker had contributed to Tottenham's run to the final. In the semi-final he scored twice in a 3–1 win over [[North London derby|North London rivals]] [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/821636-tottenham-v-arsenal-top-five-north-london-derbies |title=Tottenham v Arsenal: Top five North London derbies |work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]|date=14 April 2010 |access-date=29 May 2011}}</ref>

Lineker was the top division's second-highest goalscorer in [[1991–92 in English football|1991–92]] with 28 goals from 35 games, behind [[Ian Wright]], who scored 29 times in 42 games. Despite Lineker's personal performance, Tottenham finished this final pre-[[Premier League]] season in 15th place. His last goal in English football came on the last day of the season in a 3–1 defeat to Manchester United at [[Old Trafford]].{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

===Nagoya Grampus Eight===
In November 1991, Lineker accepted an offer of a two-year contract from [[J1 League]] club [[Nagoya Grampus|Nagoya Grampus Eight]]. The transfer fee paid to [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] was £2&nbsp;million. He officially joined Nagoya Grampus Eight after playing his final game for Spurs on 2 May 1992, when he scored the consolation goal in a 3–1 defeat by [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] on the last day of the season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsint-archive.co.uk/pages/S.asp?pubsel=BOTH&SrchText=Lineker&edn=&DateFromDD=01&DateFromMM=Sep&DateFromYY=1991&page=&SortOrder=Asc&SortOrder=asc&SortOrder=asc&SortOrder=asc&SortSpec=&DateToDD=30&DateToMM=Nov&ResultListMax=200&Submit1=Search&source=thetimes&DateToYY=1991&byline=&head=&Collection=NI%C2%A7%3D&Caption=&SortField=SDate&SortField=Pub&SortField=EDN&SortField=Page&ST=NS&Site=ALL&ResultCount=20&BackDD=Day&summreqd=yes&QueryText=%28Lineker%29+%3CAND%3E+%28PUB%3DBOTH%29+%3CAND%3E+%28%28SDate%3E%3D9%2F1%2F1991%29+%3CAND%3E+%28SDate%3C%3D11%2F30%2F1991%29%29&BackMM=Month&indexkey=3D12283075330327469E230&advsrch=0&BackYY=Year&_P=5&ResultMaxDocs=200& |title=''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'' Archive |publisher=Newsint-archive.co.uk |access-date=29 May 2011 }}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Shortly before accepting the offer from Nagoya Grampus Eight, Tottenham had rejected an offer from ambitious Second Division club [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]], who had recently been taken over by steel baron [[Jack Walker]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1353251/Jack-Walker.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1353251/Jack-Walker.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Jack Walker |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=19 August 2000 |access-date=29 May 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Having scored nine goals in 23 appearances over two injury-impacted<ref name=scmp>{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/article/50591/lineker-broken-right-toe|title=Lineker: broken right toe|date=5 November 1993 }}</ref> seasons for Nagoya Grampus Eight, he announced his retirement from playing in September 1994. The English national media had previously reported that he would be returning to England to complete his playing career at [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]] or [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Shaw|first1=Phil|title=Football: Lineker, the predator with mass appeal: By retiring now, the striker with the wholesome image has again shown perfect timing. Phil Shaw reports|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-lineker-the-predator-with-mass-appeal-by-retiring-now-the-striker-with-the-wholesome-image-1450427.html|access-date=6 July 2016|work=The Independent|date=22 September 1994}}</ref>

==International career==
Lineker was [[Cap (sport)|capped]] once by the [[England national football B team|England B national team]], playing in a 2–0 home win over New Zealand's B team on 13 November 1984.<ref name="England - International Results B-Team - Details">{{cite web|last=Courtney |first=Barrie |title=England – International Results B-Team – Details |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eng-b-intres-det.html |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation |date=21 March 2004 |access-date=9 June 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032317/http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/eng-b-intres-det.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 }}</ref> He first played for the full [[England national football team|England team]] against [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] in 1984. He played five games in the [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986 World Cup]] and was top scorer of the tournament with six goals, winning the [[FIFA World Cup awards#Golden Boot|Golden Boot]], making him the first English player to have done so. He scored the second quickest hat-trick ever at a FIFA World Cup tournament against [[Poland national football team|Poland]], the second English player to score a hat-trick at a World Cup, and scored two goals against [[Paraguay national football team|Paraguay]] in the second round. He played most of the tournament wearing a lightweight cast on his forearm. He scored for England in the World Cup quarter-final against [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]], but the game ended in defeat as [[Diego Maradona]] scored twice for the opposition (the first goal being the "[[Argentina v England (1986 FIFA World Cup)|Hand of God]]" handball, and the second being the "[[Argentina v England (1986 FIFA World Cup)#The Goal of the Century|Goal of the Century]]"). In 1988, Lineker played in [[UEFA Euro 1988|Euro 88]], but failed to score as England lost all three Group games. It was later established that he had been suffering from [[hepatitis]].<ref>C. Malam, p. 100.</ref><ref>The first was against [[Spain men's national football team|Spain]] 18 February 1987 and the second time against [[Malaysia national football team|Malaysia]] 12 June 1991.</ref>

In the [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990 World Cup]], he scored four goals to help England reach the semi-finals. He was unwell during the tournament, and accidentally defecated in his shorts during the opening group game against the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Lineker Admits to Shitting Himself (Literally) Against Ireland at Italia '90|url=http://www.joe.ie/uncategorized/lineker-admits-to-shitting-himself-literally-against-ireland-at-italia-90/12833|access-date=20 April 2015|work=Joe}}</ref> After [[Andreas Brehme]] sent England 1–0 down in the semi-final, Lineker received a pass from [[Paul Parker (footballer)|Paul Parker]] and escaped two [[Germany national football team|West German]] defenders on his way to scoring the equaliser, but the West Germans triumphed in the penalty shoot-out and went on to win the trophy. Later he said: "Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/players/do-you-remember/newsid=1010260/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130331094309/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/players/do-you-remember/newsid=1010260/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 March 2013 |title=Classic Players – Lineker, still at the top – FIFA |publisher=FIFA |access-date=25 November 2014}}</ref> Lineker's equaliser appears in the popular England national team anthem, "[[Three Lions (song)|Three Lions]]", with the lyric "When Lineker scored".<ref>{{cite news |title=It's Coming Home: England fans sing wrong lyric to Three Lions ahead of World Cup quarter-finals |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/three-lions-its-coming-home-england-fans-lyrics-wrong-world-cup-a8432656.html |access-date=14 August 2019 |work=Independent}}</ref>

He retired from international football with eighty [[Cap (sport)|caps]] and 48 goals, one fewer goal than Sir [[Bobby Charlton]]'s England record (which Charlton accrued over 106 caps). In what proved to be his last England match, against [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]] at [[UEFA Euro 1992|Euro 92]], he was substituted by England coach [[Graham Taylor]] in favour of Arsenal striker [[Alan Smith (footballer, born 1962)|Alan Smith]], ultimately denying him the chance to equal — or even better — Charlton's record.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1990-00/1991-92/M0688Swe1992.html |title=Sweden 2 England 1 Match Summary and Report |date=17 June 1992|work=England Football Online|access-date=19 May 2010|publisher=EnglandInteractive}}</ref> He had earlier missed a [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalty]] that would have brought him level, in a pre-tournament friendly against [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/gallery/2009/nov/12/england-brazil-previous-meetings?picture=355511205|title=Past encounters between England and Brazil |date=12 November 2009 |work=The Guardian |access-date=19 May 2010}}</ref> He was visibly upset at the decision, not looking at Taylor as he took the bench.

He scored four [[Scoring in association football|goals]] in an England match on two occasions and is one of very few players never to have been given a yellow card or a red card in any type of game.<ref>Malam, pp. 140, 141.</ref>

==Media career==
=== Sports presenting ===
Following retirement from professional football, Lineker developed a career in the media, initially on the [[BBC]] for [[BBC Radio 5 Live|Radio 5 Live]] and as a football pundit. He appeared as a team captain on the sports game show ''[[They Think It's All Over (TV series)|They Think It's All Over]]'' from 1995 to 2003. He also presented ''[[Grandstand (BBC)|Grandstand]]'' in the London studio while presenter [[Des Lynam]] was in [[Aintree]] when the [[Grand National]] was abandoned because of a bomb alert at the racecourse in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-11 |title=Gary Lineker: How he went from football sensation to BBC star |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp39xlwexyxo |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> In 1999, he replaced Lynam as the BBC's lead presenter for football coverage, including its flagship football television programme ''[[Match of the Day]]'', becoming [[BBC Sport]]'s highest paid presenter.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/414635.stm | title= Lineker 'steps into Des's shoes' | work=BBC News | date=8 August 1999 | access-date=15 March 2023}}</ref> Following the departure of [[Steve Rider]] from the BBC in 2005, Lineker, who is a keen recreational golfer with a [[Golf handicap|handicap]] of four, became the new presenter for the corporation's golf coverage. Despite receiving some criticism from his peers,<ref name="Observer" /> he continued to front the BBC's coverage of the Masters and [[The Open Championship|The Open]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Simon Parke |title=A sporting chance for unity |url=http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=42724 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227073407/http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=42724 |archive-date=27 December 2008 |access-date=3 August 2009 |work=Church Times}}</ref>

In 2005, Lineker was sued for [[Slander and libel|defamation]] by Australian footballer [[Harry Kewell]] over comments Lineker had made writing in his column in ''[[The Sunday Telegraph]]'' about Kewell's transfer from [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] to [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]]. However, the jury was unable to reach a verdict. It became known during the case that the article had actually been [[ghost-written]] by a journalist at ''The Sunday Telegraph'' following a telephone interview with Lineker.<ref>{{cite news |last=Booth |first=Robert |date=4 July 2006 |title=Lineker and Kewell settle libel case out of court |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/jul/04/pressandpublishing.football |access-date=13 November 2006}}</ref>

In May 2010, Lineker resigned from his role as columnist for ''[[The Mail on Sunday]]'' in protest over the sting operation against [[David Triesman, Baron Triesman|Lord Triesman]] that reportedly jeopardised England's bid to host the [[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018 World Cup]]. Triesman resigned as chairman of the bid and the FA on 16 May 2010 after the publication of a secret recording of a conversation between the peer and a former ministerial aide, during which he claimed that Spain and Russia were planning to bribe referees at the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] in South Africa.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ducker |first=James |date=19 May 2010 |title=Gary Lineker kicks column into touch in protest over Lord Triesman sting |work=[[The Times]] |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article7129899.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510010128/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article7129899.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 May 2011 |access-date=19 May 2010}}</ref> Lineker then began working as an anchor for the English language football coverage for [[beIN Sports (MENA)|Al Jazeera Sport]], which is broadcast throughout most of the Middle East. He left the Qatar-based network in 2012.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Lineker was the lead presenter of the [[BBC]]'s coverage of the [[London 2012 Olympic Games]], presenting the evening action each day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC London 2012 presenter line-up |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/021211-bbc-2012-presenter-line-up |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> This was a role he also took for the [[Glasgow 2014|Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/cwg |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>

In 2013, Lineker began working for [[NBCSN]] as part of their Premier League coverage and contributing to the US version of ''[[Match of the Day (US TV series)|Match of the Day]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Parker |first=Graham |date=16 April 2013 |title=Lineker and Match of the Day feature in NBC's Premier League plans |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/apr/16/nbc-premier-league-match-of-the-day}}</ref> On 9 June 2015, Lineker was unveiled as the lead presenter of [[BT Sport]]'s [[UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] coverage. On 13 August 2016, Lineker presented the first ''Match of the Day'' of the [[2016–17 Premier League|2016–17]] season wearing only boxer shorts.<ref>{{cite news |date=13 August 2016 |title=Gary Lineker pants: Match of the Day presenter keeps Twitter promise |publisher=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37074641 |access-date=26 July 2018}}</ref> Believing it would simply not happen, he had promised in a tweet from December 2015<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/676520648097865728?lang=en|title=Gary Lineker on Twitter}}</ref> that if Leicester City won the [[2015–16 Premier League|Premier League]], he would "present ''Match of the Day'' in just my undies".

As of July 2025, Lineker is the highest-paid BBC presenter, and has been for eight years running, receiving payments of £1.75–1.76 million each year between 2016 and 2020,<ref>{{cite news |date=11 July 2018 |title=BBC pay: The 2017-18 list of star salaries in full |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-44792074 |access-date=2 November 2020}}</ref><ref name="BBC News">{{cite news |date=15 September 2020 |title=BBC star salaries: Gary Lineker takes pay cut as Zoe Ball shoots up list |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54119758 |access-date=2 November 2020}}</ref> approximately £1.35 million in 2020–21,<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 July 2022 |title=Gary Lineker becomes only on-air BBC talent to earn more than £1m |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/gary-lineker-tim-davie-lauren-laverne-radio-nadine-dorries-b2121192.html |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> and between £1,350,000 - £1,354,999 in 2024–25.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Nanji |first1=Noor |last2=Comerford |first2=Ruth |date=2025-07-15 |title=BBC sacks several people over 'abusive behaviour' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c07d082jpkko |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=[[BBC News]] |language=en-gb}}</ref> His pay has been criticised by [[Julian Knight (politician)|Julian Knight]], chair of the parliamentary [[Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |date=15 September 2020 |title=BBC Talent Salaries Draw Criticism, But New Boss Tim Davie Holds His Ground |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/global/bbc-graham-norton-millions-gary-lineker-1234770277/ |access-date=2 November 2020 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> and former BBC presenter [[Esther Rantzen]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Fenwick |first=George |date=16 September 2020 |title=Dame Esther Rantzen calls for all BBC salaries to be cut to £150,000 |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/dame-esther-ranzen-gary-lineker-bbc-salaries-a4549021.html |access-date=2 November 2020 |website=www.standard.co.uk}}</ref> The BBC's Director General, [[Tim Davie]], stated that Lineker's pay was justified "because of the value of analysis to the viewing audience".<ref>{{cite news |title=BBC boss defends Gary Lineker and Zoe Ball's £1.3 million salaries |language=en-GB |work=belfasttelegraph |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/news/bbc-boss-defends-gary-lineker-and-zoe-balls-13-million-salaries-39572713.html |access-date=2 November 2020 |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>

In March 2023, Lineker was required to step back from presenting on the BBC for three days due to a controversy over his criticism of the British government's immigration policy on Twitter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gary Lineker stepping back from role as Match of the Day presenter |url=https://news.sky.com/story/gary-lineker-stepping-back-from-role-as-match-of-the-day-presenter-12830108 |access-date=10 March 2023 |website=Sky News |language=en}}</ref><ref name="BBC-News">{{Cite news |title=Gary Lineker: Wright and Shearer pull out of MOTD |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/entertainment-arts-64895316 |access-date=10 March 2023 |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=BBC seeks to end crisis by reinstating presenter Lineker |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/bbc-says-gary-lineker-return-presenting-2023-03-13/ |access-date=13 March 2023 |website=Reuters |date=13 March 2023 |language=en|last1=Young |first1=Sarah |last2=Holton |first2=Kate }}</ref><ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite news |date=13 March 2023 |title=Gary Lineker will abide by BBC guidelines until review completed - Tim Davie |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-64937656 |access-date=13 March 2023}}</ref>

====BBC exit====

On 11 November 2024, it was announced that Lineker would be stepping down from presenting ''Match of the Day'' following the conclusion of the [[2024–25 Premier League]] season in May 2025.<ref name="Moench-2024">{{cite web|title =Gary Lineker to leave BBC's Match of the day|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdd456rzg75o|access-date=12 April 2026|work=BBC News|date=11 November 2024|last=Moench|first=Mallory|last2=Razzall|first2=Katie}}</ref> Having been previously announced as leaving the BBC after covering the [[2025–26 FA Cup]] and the [[2026 FIFA World Cup|2026 World Cup]],<ref name="Moench-2024" /> in May 2025 it was announced that Lineker would leave the BBC completely at the end of the season following further controversy regarding his usage of social media, including sharing a post about Zionism that included an illustration of a rat,<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 May 2025 |title=Gary Lineker apologises for now-deleted 'Zionism' social media post |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2025-05-14/gary-lineker-apologises-for-now-deleted-zionism-social-media-post |access-date=12 April 2026 |work=ITV News}}</ref> historically used as an antisemitic insult. Lineker said he did not see the image, and "would never consciously repost anything antisemitic" and added: "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."<ref>{{cite news |date=19 May 2025 |title=Lineker to leave BBC sooner than planned after antisemitism row |work=BBC News |author1=Paul Glynn |author2=Steven McIntosh |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c79e37nld1no |access-date=19 May 2025}}</ref> He presented his final ''Match of the Day'' on 25 May 2025.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0kwkg7deeo | title=Gary Lineker signs off from final Match of the Day as he leaves BBC after 26 years | date=26 May 2025 |access-date=12 April 2026|website=BBC News|last=Glynn|first=Paul}}</ref>

=== Walkers advertisements ===
Lineker has appeared in television advertisements for the Leicester-based snack company [[Walkers (snack foods)|Walkers]]. Originally signing a £200,000 deal in 1994, his first advertisement was 1995's "Welcome Home" (Lineker had recently returned to England having played in Japan).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lafferty |first1=Catherine |last2=Charles |first2=Gemma |title=Why Walkers and Lineker have a marriage made to last, plus 5 of Gary's funniest ads |url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/why-walkers-lineker-marriage-made-last-plus-5-garys-funniest-ads/1385016 |work=[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]] |date=25 February 2016 |access-date=29 June 2018}}</ref> Walkers temporarily named their salt and vinegar crisps after Lineker, labelling them 'Salt & Lineker', in the late 1990s.<ref>{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Sarah |title=Appointment to view: Lineker's highlights with Walkers |url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/appointment-view-linekers-highlights-walkers/1084911 |work=Campaign |date=16 August 2011 |access-date=29 June 2018}}</ref> In 2000, Lineker's Walkers advertisements were ranked ninth in [[Channel 4]]'s poll of ''[[The 100 Greatest TV Ads]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 100 Greatest TV Ads |url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/greatest_ads/ |url-status=dead |publisher=[[Channel 4]] |location=London |year=2000 |access-date=4 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010618095141/http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/greatest_ads/ |archive-date=18 June 2001}}</ref>

=== Other media appearances ===
In the 1980s, [[Gremlin Graphics]] released three computer games bearing Lineker's name: ''[[Gary Lineker's Superstar Soccer]]'', ''Gary Lineker's Superskills''<ref>{{cite web |title=Gary Lineker's Superskills |date=January 1989|url=https://www.zzap64.co.uk/cgi-bin/displaypage.pl?issue=045&amp;page=033&amp;thumbstart=0&amp;magazine=zzap&amp;check=1 |access-date=10 October 2025 |publisher=Zzap!64}}</ref> and ''Gary Lineker's Hot Shot!''<ref>{{cite web |title=Gary Lineker's Hot Shot! |date=May 1989|url=https://www.zzap64.co.uk/cgi-bin/displaypage.pl?issue=49&page=79 |access-date=10 October 2025 |publisher=Zzap!64}}</ref> (released in Germany as ''[[Pierre Littbarski|Litti's]] Hot Shot!'').

Lineker participated in [[Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Edward]]'s charity television special ''[[The Grand Knockout Tournament]]'' in 1987. He also appeared in the 1991 play ''[[An Evening with Gary Lineker]]'' by [[Arthur Smith (comedian)|Arthur Smith]] and [[Chris England]], which was adapted for television in 1994. He presented a seven-part TV series for the BBC in 1998 (directed by Lloyd Stanton) called ''Gary Lineker's Golden Boots'',<ref>{{cite web |date=13 April 1998 |title=Golden Boots |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149464/ |access-date=14 October 2012 |publisher=IMDb}}</ref> with other football celebrities. It was an extensive history of the World Cup focusing on the 'Golden Boots' (top scorers).<ref>{{cite web |title=Gary Lineker's Golden Boots: Argentina and the Beginning |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/abeac973b82d4bc8a31b0af201a6a05f |website=[[BBC Genome|BBC Programme Index]] |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 August 2025 |date=13 April 1998 |quote=Gary Lineker presents the first of a seven-part series which focuses on World Cup history. |archive-date=16 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250816183847/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/abeac973b82d4bc8a31b0af201a6a05f |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2006, Lineker took on an acting role as the voice of ''[[Underground Ernie]]'' on the BBC's children's channel, [[CBeebies]].<ref name="UndergroundErnie">{{cite news |date=10 October 2005 |title=Tube trains get lines in series |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4326588.stm |access-date=3 June 2015}}</ref> In December 2008, Lineker appeared on the ITV1 television programme ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]'' where he and English rugby union player [[Austin Healey]] won £50,000 for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation. In 2009, Lineker and his wife Danielle hosted a series of the BBC's ''Northern Exposure'', following on from [[Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen]] from the previous year in visiting and showcasing locations throughout Northern Ireland.<ref>[http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/Gary-and-Danielles-Northern-Exposure-A2506 Gary and Danielle's Northern Exposure] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090827095812/http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/Gary-and-Danielles-Northern-Exposure-A2506|date=27 August 2009}} at DiscoverNorthernIreland.com</ref>

Lineker has made a number of [[cameo appearance]]s in TV shows and movies, such as the 2002 film ''[[Bend It Like Beckham]],'' the 2014 BBC TV film ''[[Marvellous]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Two - Marvellous |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04jmx7l |access-date=12 March 2023 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref> and a number of appearances in the [[Apple TV+]] football comedy TV series ''[[Ted Lasso]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Levy |first=Matt |date=21 September 2021 |title=Who Ted Lasso's Footballers Lineker & Henry Are & Why Beard Sees Them |url=https://screenrant.com/ted-lasso-thierry-henry-gary-lineker-who-coach-beard-see-why/ |access-date=21 October 2021 |website=[[Screen Rant]]}}</ref> In 2013, Lineker participated in the genealogical programme ''[[Who Do You Think You Are? (UK TV series)|Who Do You Think You Are?]]'' during which he discovered an ancestor who was a [[Poaching|poacher]], and another who was a [[legal clerk]].<ref name="wdytyr">{{cite web |date=22 August 2013 |title=Who Do You Think You Are?, Series 10, Gary Lineker |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b039292p |access-date=26 June 2014 |publisher=BBC One}}</ref> In 2021, Lineker started hosting the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] game show ''[[Sitting on a Fortune]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gary Lineker to host new ITV gameshow, Sitting on a Fortune|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-57927271 |access-date=29 March 2022 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=22 July 2021}}</ref>

===Goalhanger Films and Podcasts===
In May 2014, Lineker established his own production company Goalhanger Films Ltd. with former ITV Controller Tony Pastor.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Gary Lineker launches sport doc indie Goal Hanger |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/people/gary-lineker-launches-sport-doc-indie-goal-hanger/5076420.article |magazine=Broadcastnow |date=21 August 2014 |access-date=26 May 2015}}</ref> During the [[2014 FIFA World Cup]], Lineker presented several short videos produced by Goalhanger Films on [[YouTube]] with the title ''Blahzil''. In May 2015, the company produced a 60-minute-long documentary presented by Lineker titled ''Gary Lineker on the Road to FA Cup Glory'' for the BBC.<ref>{{cite web |title=The FA Cup – 2014/15: Gary Lineker on the Road to FA Cup Glory |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05x2x71/the-fa-cup-201415-gary-lineker-on-the-road-to-fa-cup-glory |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=26 May 2015}}</ref>

He also operates [[Goalhanger Podcasts]], which produces ''[[Leading (podcast)|Leading]]'', ''[[The Rest is History (podcast)|The Rest is History]]'', ''[[The Rest is Politics]]'' and his own podcast, ''The Rest is Football'', which he hosts with [[Alan Shearer]] and [[Micah Richards]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gapper |first1=John |title=Gary Lineker and his Goalhanger teammates on their podcast empire |url=https://www.ft.com/content/5a3c53cb-cad8-4184-9724-21ba236d5f00 |website=[[Financial Times]] |access-date=23 August 2023 |date=10 July 2023}}</ref>

=== Baller League UK ===
In November 2024, it was announced that Lineker would manage one of the 12 teams in the [[Baller League UK]], a [[six-a-side football]] league.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-26 |title=Baller League: KSI, Gary Lineker, Luis Figo & John Terry among names involved in new football league |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c3rx5ll9y3zo |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Buckingham |first1=Philip |last2=Stafford-Bloor |first2=Seb |title=What is Baller League, why are KSI and IShowSpeed involved and is it a game-changer? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5949002/2024/11/26/baller-league-explained-ksi-ishowspeed/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |work=The New York Times |date=26 November 2024 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gary Linekar.jpg|thumb|upright|Lineker in 2009]]

Lineker married Michelle Cockayne in July 1986, in [[Knighton, Leicester]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lineker divorce |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/lineker-divorce/cid/1064270}}</ref> They have four sons. In May 2006, Cockayne filed for divorce on the grounds of Lineker's alleged "unreasonable behaviour", with documents submitted to the court claiming that his actions in their marriage had caused her "stress and anxiety". The couple subsequently stated that the situation was amicable.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gary Lineker and wife to separate |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4960106.stm |work=BBC News |date=30 April 2006 |access-date=13 November 2006}}</ref>

In November 1991, Lineker's eldest son survived a rare form of [[leukaemia]] whilst he was a baby, and was treated at [[Great Ormond Street Hospital]] in London.<ref name=Observer/> Lineker now supports children's cancer charity [[CLIC Sargent]] and has appeared in promotional clips encouraging people to give blood. Lineker has been actively involved with other cancer charities such as Leukaemia Busters, where between 1994 and 2005 Gary and Michelle were the charity's patrons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leukaemiabusters.org.uk/pages/background.aspx |title=Background of Leukaemia Busters |publisher=Leukaemia Busters |access-date=19 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618062453/http://www.leukaemiabusters.org.uk/pages/background.aspx |archive-date=18 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/archive/2000/10/16/Hampshire+Archive/5626226.Gary_s_goal_is_to_fight_leukaemia/ |title=Gary's goal is to fight leukaemia |work=Daily Echo |date=16 October 2000 |access-date=29 May 2011}}</ref> He has also been involved with the Fight for Life and [[Cancer Research UK]] charities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fightforlife.org/appeal2008.html |title=Fight for Life Appeal 2008 |website=Fightforlife.org |access-date=3 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807013235/http://www.fightforlife.org/appeal2008.html |archive-date=7 August 2009}}</ref><ref>[http://www.cafonline.org/default.aspx?page=15216 "Gary Lineker to face questioning for Cancer Research UK charity fundraiser"], ''[[Charities Aid Foundation]]'', 3 March 2008. Retrieved 4 March 2008.</ref>

Lineker was made a [[Freedom of the City|freeman]] of the City of Leicester in 1995 and he has been referred to as "Leicester's favourite son".<ref>{{cite news |last=Ley |first=John |title=Lineker keen to bale out Leicester for his boys' sake |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/championship/3036643/Lineker-keen-to-bale-out-Leicester-for-his-boys-sake.html |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=24 October 2002 |access-date=3 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC – Leicester – Features – Lineker honoured |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/content/articles/2005/02/22/gary_lineker_road_opens_feature.shtml |publisher=BBC |date=23 February 2005 |access-date=3 June 2015}}</ref>

In October 2002, Lineker backed a £5&nbsp;million bid to rescue his former club [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]], which had recently gone into [[Administration (law)|administration]], describing his involvement as "charity" rather than an "ego trip".<ref>{{cite news |last=Ley |first=John |title=Lineker keen to bail out Leicester for his boys' sake |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/championship/3036643/Lineker-keen-to-bale-out-Leicester-for-his-boys-sake.html |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |date=24 October 2002}}</ref> He stated that he would invest a six-figure sum and that other members of his consortium would invest a similar amount.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lineker unveils Leicester rescue bid |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/leicester_city/2352155.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=23 October 2002 |access-date=3 August 2009}}</ref> Lineker met with fans' groups to persuade them to try and raise money to rescue his former club. The club was eventually saved from [[liquidation]]. He is now honorary Vice President of Leicester City.
[[File:Gary and Danielle Lineker at The Asian Awards.jpg|right|thumb|Gary and [[Danielle Bux|Danielle Lineker]] at [[The Asian Awards]] in 2015]]
Lineker married [[Danielle Bux]] on 2 September 2009, in [[Ravello]], Italy. On 13 January 2016, Lineker and Bux announced they were divorcing, after six years of marriage,<ref name=kids>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/12096442/Gary-Lineker-and-his-wife-to-divorce-because-hes-too-old-to-start-another-family.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/12096442/Gary-Lineker-and-his-wife-to-divorce-because-hes-too-old-to-start-another-family.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Gary Lineker and his wife to divorce 'because he's too old to start another family'|date=13 January 2016|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=13 January 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> the reason given being Gary not wanting more children.<ref name=kids/>

Lineker lives in [[Barnes, London]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Domb |first=Arielle |date=2025-05-29 |title=Inside Gary Lineker's property portfolio — from Barnet to Esher |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/celebrity-homes/gary-lineker-homes-property-empire-b1229876.html |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=The Standard |language=en}}</ref>

In 1985, Lineker was best man at snooker player [[Willie Thorne]]'s wedding<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rawling |first1=John |title=Willie Thorne obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jun/17/willie-thorne-obituary |access-date=23 June 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=17 June 2020}}</ref> and their close friendship was the subject of the VHS production, ''Best of Friends – The Official Story of Gary Lineker & Willie Thorne''.<ref>{{Cite news|date=8 May 2014|title=Pirlo perfection, plus the Official Story of Gary Lineker and Willie Thorne|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/may/08/classic-youtube-best-sports-clips-on-the-web|access-date=17 June 2020}}</ref>

In November 2017, Lineker was named in the [[Paradise Papers]] in connection with a [[tax avoidance]] scheme relating to property owned in [[Barbados]] and a company set up in the [[British Virgin Islands]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/nov/09/revealed-scheme-gary-lineker-tax-barbados-home|title=Revealed: scheme that let Gary Lineker avoid tax on Barbados home|first1=Hilary|last1=Osborne|first2=Richard|last2=Luscombe|date=9 November 2017|work=The Guardian}}</ref>

Lineker speaks fluent Spanish, which he learnt during his time playing for FC Barcelona, and is an advocate for the teaching of foreign languages in schools.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/sep/26/gary-lineker-free-language-resources|title=Gary Lineker kickstarts language learning in schools|first=Anna|last=Codrea-Rado|newspaper=The Guardian |date=26 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/physical-educaton-ks3-gcse-gary-lineker-spanish/zmxsbdm|title=Spanish GCSE: Gary Lineker presents Match of the Day in Spanish|website=BBC Class Clips Video}}</ref>

In April 2020, during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]], Lineker announced that he was donating £140,000 to the [[British Red Cross]] towards research into the virus.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/gary-lineker-salary-british-red-cross-coronavirus-appeal-a4405281.html|title=Gary Lineker donates £140,000 to British Red Cross appeal|date=2 April 2020|website=Evening Standard|first=Tom |last=Doyle}}</ref>

On 28 March 2023, he won an appeal against [[HM Revenue and Customs]] (HMRC) over a bill that totalled £4.9 million. HMRC had pursued him over taxes on income from the BBC and [[BT Sport]], from 2013–14 to 2017–18, on the grounds he was an employee of both organisations at the time. A judge ruled he was a freelancer and had contracts with both broadcasters.<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 March 2023 |title=Lineker wins appeal over 4.9 million pounds tax bill |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/lineker-wins-appeal-over-49-million-pounds-tax-bill-2023-03-28/ |access-date=29 March 2023}}</ref>

===Political views===
Lineker has been noted for political views which he shares on [[Twitter]]. In December 2016, he was described by Angus Harrison of [[Vice News]] as "the [[British Left]]'s Loudest Voice" for being "both staunchly liberal and resolutely unafraid of making his views known".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harrison |first1=Angus |title=How Gary Lineker Became the British Left's Loudest Voice |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/gary-lineker-voice-of-the-left-twitter/ |access-date=24 June 2022 |work=Vice News |date=1 December 2016}}</ref> Using a football analogy, Lineker defined his ideological position as "I make more runs to the left than the right, but never felt comfortable on the wing".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sommers |first1=Jack |title=Gary Lineker Describes Feeling 'Politically Homeless' As Jeremy Corbyn Sacks Soft Brexit Backers |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/gary-lineker-hard-brexit-labour-conservative_uk_5955494fe4b05c37bb7d0051 |access-date=24 June 2022 |work=HuffPost |date=29 June 2017}}</ref> After the [[2017 United Kingdom general election]], in which [[Theresa May]] led the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]] and [[Jeremy Corbyn]] led [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]], Lineker wrote "Anyone else feel politically homeless? Everything seems [[Far-right politics|far right]] or [[Far-left politics|way left]]. Something sensibly [[centrist]] might appeal?"<ref>{{cite news |title=What Gary Lineker's political party might support |url=https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/people/gary-lineker-politician-need-76014 |access-date=24 June 2022 |work=i |date=30 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Why Gary Lineker is the centrists' choice |url=https://www.theweek.co.uk/86236/gary-lineker-the-centrists-choice |access-date=24 June 2022 |work=The Week |date=30 June 2017}}</ref>

Lineker endorsed a Remain vote in the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Blair |first1=Olivia |title=Gary Lineker backs Remain vote in EU referendum |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/eu-referendum-gary-lineker-backs-remain-vote-a7095246.html |access-date=24 June 2022 |work=The Independent |date=22 June 2016}}</ref> In July 2018, he announced his support for [[People's Vote]], a campaign group calling for a public vote on the final [[Brexit]] deal between the UK and the [[European Union]] (EU).<ref>{{cite news |last=Heffer |first=Greg |title=Gary Lineker joins campaign for second Brexit referendum |url=https://news.sky.com/story/gary-lineker-joins-campaign-for-second-brexit-referendum-11448862 |work=[[Sky News]] |date=26 July 2018 |access-date=26 July 2018}}</ref>

On 18 October 2016, Lineker tweeted a rebuttal to a statement made by MP [[David Davies (Welsh politician)|David Davies]] where Davies suggested refugees entering the UK should undergo dental checks to verify their age: "The treatment by some towards these young refugees is hideously racist and utterly heartless. What's happening to our country?"<ref>{{cite news |last1=Oppenheim |first1=Maya |title=Gary Lineker receives torrent of criticism after calling response to child refugees' arrival 'hideously racist' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/gary-lineker-twitter-criticism-defend-refugees-a7369156.html |access-date=24 June 2022 |work=The Independent |date=19 October 2016}}</ref> This led ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' to call for Lineker's sacking from ''Match of the Day'', accusing him of breaching BBC impartiality guidelines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/feminism/2016/10/would-you-let-your-child-change-their-gender|title=Would you let your child change their gender?|website=New Statesman|date=28 October 2016|access-date=29 October 2016}}</ref>

In December 2018, Lineker was criticised by the BBC's cricket correspondent [[Jonathan Agnew]] for expressing his political views on Twitter. Agnew said, "You are the face of BBC Sport. Please observe BBC editorial guidelines and keep your political views, whatever they are and whatever the subject, to yourself. I'd be sacked if I followed your example."<ref>{{cite news |last=Lyons |first=Kate |title=Gary Lineker criticised by Jonathan Agnew for 'political' Brexit tweets |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/dec/14/gary-lineker-criticised-by-jonathan-agnew-for-political-brexit-tweets |work=The Guardian |date=14 December 2018 |access-date=15 March 2023}}</ref> A BBC spokesperson said, "Gary is not involved in any news or political output for the BBC and as such, any expression of his personal political views does not affect the BBC's impartiality."<ref>{{cite news |title=Gary Lineker row: What can BBC presenters say and not say? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46566574 |access-date=24 June 2022 |publisher=BBC News |date=14 December 2018}}</ref>

In October 2022, a complaint about a tweet from Lineker that referred to donations to the Conservative Party was upheld by the BBC, on the grounds that it breached social media use guidelines and failed to meet editorial standards of impartiality.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gary Lineker and Twitter |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/ecu/gary-lineker-and-twitter |access-date=24 October 2022 |publisher=BBC News |date=13 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Waterson |first=Jim |title=Gary Lineker found in breach of BBC guidelines with Tory donors tweet |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/oct/13/gary-lineker-found-in-breach-of-bbc-guidelines-with-tory-donors-tweet |access-date=24 October 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=13 October 2022}}</ref> During the [[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022 World Cup]], Qatari lawyer [[Hassan Al-Thawadi]] criticised Lineker for covering [[Human rights in Qatar|human rights violations in Qatar]] by stating that he did not talk about such issues with other host countries. In response, Lineker countered on ''[[The News Agents]]'' podcast that he covered issues in other host countries, and characterised the United States, one of the countries co-hosting the [[2026 FIFA World Cup|2026 World Cup]], as an "[[Racism in the United States|extraordinarily racist country]]".<ref>{{Cite web|first=Ben|last=Rumsby|title=Gary Lineker calls US 'extraordinarily racist country' and reignites row between BBC and Qatar|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2022/12/13/gary-lineker-reignites-row-bbc-qatar-calls-usa-extraordinarily/|website=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=13 December 2022|access-date=15 March 2023}}</ref> His statements on the United States were criticised by [[Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport|Culture Secretary]] [[Michelle Donelan]] in January 2023, who said they were "very derogatory questionable comments".<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Connie |last2=Pitts |first2=Stephen |date=12 January 2023 |title=Culture Secretary criticises Gary Lineker over comments on Qatar and US racism |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/culture-secretary-criticises-gary-lineker-25955800 |access-date=8 March 2023 |website=WalesOnline |language=en}}</ref>

==== 2023 controversy and suspension from ''Match of the Day'' ====
In March 2023, Lineker criticised the British government's asylum policy via Twitter. Commenting on a video message by the [[Home Secretary]], [[Suella Braverman]], about stopping migrants crossing the [[English Channel]] in small boats, he said the message was "beyond awful" and called the government's policy "an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s".<ref name="Davies-2023b">{{cite news |last=Davies |first=Caroline |date=8 March 2023 |title=Gary Lineker to be spoken to by BBC after comparing UK asylum policy to Nazi Germany |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/mar/08/gary-lineker-bbc-uk-asylum-policy-nazi-germany-match-of-the-day-presenter |access-date=8 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="Davies-2023a">{{Cite news |last1=Davies |first1=Caroline |last2=Clinton |first2=Jane |date=8 March 2023 |title=Gary Lineker responds to critics of his immigration policy comments |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/mar/08/gary-lineker-bbc-uk-asylum-policy-nazi-germany-match-of-the-day-presenter |access-date=11 March 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="Il-Post-2023">{{Cite web |date=11 March 2023 |title=BBC è nei guai per avere sospeso Gary Lineker |trans-title=BBC is in trouble after suspending Gary Lineker |url=https://www.ilpost.it/2023/03/11/gary-lineker-sospeso-bbc/ |access-date=11 March 2023 |website=Il Post |language=it-IT}}</ref> The comments received condemnation from some Conservative politicians, including Braverman herself,<ref name="Davies-2023a" /><ref name="Il-Post-2023"/> and a spokesperson for Labour leader [[Keir Starmer]] said comparisons with 1930s Germany "aren't always the best way" to make an argument.<ref name="Davies-2023b" /><ref name="Davies-2023a" /> Lineker received support from other political figures, including [[Alf Dubs, Baron Dubs|Baron Dubs]],<ref name="Davies-2023b" /> [[Alastair Campbell]],<ref name="Davies-2023b" /> and [[Angela Rayner]].<ref name="Cooney-2023">{{Cite news |last=Cooney |first=Christy |date=11 March 2023 |title='Assault on free speech': Gary Lineker's defenders and detractors |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/mar/11/assault-on-free-speech-gary-linekers-defenders-and-detractors |access-date=11 March 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> A BBC source said the corporation was taking the matter "seriously" and expected to have a "frank conversation" with Lineker.<ref name="Davies-2023b" /> The BBC's culture and media editor [[Katie Razzall]] wrote, "As the UK's most scrutinised media organisation in increasingly polarised times, to say Gary Lineker's recent tweets cause difficulty for the BBC is an understatement."<ref>{{cite news |last=Razzall |first=Katie |date=8 March 2023 |title=Gary Lineker: Why his comments present a problem for the BBC |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64889868 |access-date=9 March 2023}}</ref> Lineker said he stood by his comments and did not fear suspension from his BBC work.<ref name="Davies-2023a" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Adams |first=Charley |date=9 March 2023 |title=Gary Lineker says he does not fear BBC suspension over asylum policy tweet |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64899472 |access-date=9 March 2023}}</ref>

On 10 March, the BBC said Lineker would step back from his job on ''Match of the Day'' because it considered "his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines". It added it had "decided Lineker will not present ''Match of the Day'' until there's an agreed and clear position on his use of social media".<ref name="BBC-News"/><ref name="Il-Post-2023"/><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Maclellan |first1=Kylie |last2=Davey |first2=James |date=10 March 2023 |title=Lineker to 'step back' from BBC presenting after migration row |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/lineker-step-back-bbc-presenting-after-migration-row-2023-03-10/ |access-date=10 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="Sky-Sports-2023">{{Cite web |date=11 March 2023 |title=Gary Lineker: BBC takes presenter off Match of the Day duties |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12830486/bbc-sorry-as-sports-shows-pulled-lineker-row-grows |access-date=11 March 2023 |website=Sky Sports |language=en-GB}}</ref> Lineker's BBC Sport colleagues [[Ian Wright]], [[Alan Shearer]],<ref name="Sky-Sports-2023" /><ref name="BBC-News"/><ref name="Waterson-2023">{{Cite news |last=Waterson |first=Jim |date=10 March 2023 |title=Match of the Day to air without presenter or pundits after Gary Lineker's suspension |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/mar/10/gary-lineker-step-back-match-of-the-day-bbc |access-date=11 March 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> [[Steve Wilson (football commentator)|Steve Wilson]], [[Conor McNamara]], [[Robyn Cowen]], [[Steven Wyeth]],<ref name="Evans 20232">{{cite web |last=Evans |first=Gareth |date=10 March 2023 |title=Match of the Day in crisis as commentators join growing staff boycott |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64918162 |access-date=11 March 2023 |website=BBC News}}</ref> [[Alex Scott (footballer, born 1984)|Alex Scott]], [[Jason Mohammad]], [[Mark Chapman (broadcaster)|Mark Chapman]], [[Jermaine Jenas]], [[Dion Dublin]] and [[Jermain Defoe]] all pulled out of their respective roles in BBC programmes in the next hours in solidarity with him.<ref name="Cooney-2023" /><ref name="Sky-Sports-2023" /><ref name="Waterson-2023" /> As a result, the broadcaster was forced to reduce its sports-related schedules for 11 and 12 March,<ref name="Il-Post-2023" /><ref name="Sky-Sports-2023" /> with ''Match of the Day'' going ahead without any hosts or studio presentation, thus featuring only match footage.<ref name="Il-Post-2023" /><ref name="Sky-Sports-2023" /><ref name="Waterson-2023" /> It also affected the [[BBC World Service]]'s English-language programme ''[[Sportsworld (radio programme)|Sportsworld]]'', which was not aired on that day and was instead replaced with alternative programming.<ref>{{cite news|title=BBC boss apologises for sport disruption but will not resign|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/entertainment-arts-64895316|work=BBC News|access-date=11 March 2023}}</ref> The BBC and Lineker issued coordinated statements on 13 March.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statements from BBC Director-General Tim Davie and Gary Lineker |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/statements/director-general-tim-davie-gary-lineker |website=BBC Media Centre |access-date=13 March 2023}}</ref> Lineker's suspension was ended and the BBC announced it would initiate an independent review of its social media guidelines and how they apply to freelancers outside news.<ref>{{cite news |date=13 March 2023 |title=Lineker 'delighted' to return as BBC reviews social media rules |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/entertainment-arts-64938252 |access-date=13 March 2023}}</ref> The BBC's director-general, [[Tim Davie]], stated that Lineker had agreed to abide by the corporation's editorial guidelines until the review into them has been completed.<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/>

Since the controversy, Lineker has continued to use Twitter to comment on political issues. On 21 November 2023, he tweeted: "Worth 13 minutes of anyone's time." The tweet was accompanied by a link to an interview between [[Owen Jones]] and [[Raz Segal]], in which Segal stated that Israel's actions in the [[Gaza war]] were "a textbook case of [[Gaza genocide|genocide]]". Lineker's tweet was interpreted by some to be an endorsement of Segal's views.<ref>{{cite web|first=Dominic|last=Penna|date=21 November 2023|title=Gary Lineker endorses video that accuses Israel of 'textbook genocide'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/21/bbc-lineker-israel-hamas-textbook-genocide-raz-segal/|website=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Laurence|last=Sleator|date=22 November 2023|title=BBC staff's anger after Lineker shares Israel-Gaza 'genocide' video|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/gary-lineker-israel-genocide-gaza-tweet-sk8zm0236|website=[[The Times]]|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Jake|last=Kanter|date=22 November 2023|title=BBC's Best-Paid Presenter Gary Lineker Appears To Endorse "Genocide" Claim Against Israel|url=https://deadline.com/2023/11/gary-lineker-endorse-genocide-claims-against-israel-bbc-1235633945/|website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122124922/https://deadline.com/2023/11/gary-lineker-endorse-genocide-claims-against-israel-bbc-1235633945/|archive-date=22 November 2023|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|first=Gary|last=Lineker|user=GaryLineker|number=1726984161905545305|title=Worth 13 minutes of anyone's time.|url-status=live}}</ref>

In December 2023, Lineker signed an open letter criticising the government's proposal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/dec/11/gary-lineker-and-brian-cox-back-call-to-scrap-rwanda-scheme | title= Gary Lineker and Brian Cox back call to scrap Rwanda scheme | work=The Guardian | first=Charlie | last=Moloney | date=11 December 2023 | access-date=18 June 2024}}</ref> Defence Secretary [[Grant Shapps]], Conservative Party deputy chairman [[Lee Anderson]], and [[Jonathan Gullis]] accused him of violating impartiality and lodged a complaint with the BBC.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-67701186|title=Gary Lineker seemed to break rules, next BBC chairman says|work=BBC News|first=Graeme|last=Baker|date=13 December 2023|accessdate=13 December 2023}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes [[FA Cup]], [[Copa del Rey]], [[Emperor's Cup]]}}
!colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes [[EFL Cup|Football League Cup]], [[J.League Cup]]}}
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Other
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="8"|[[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]
|{{nowrap|[[1978–79 Football League|1978–79]]}}
|[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]
|7||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||7||1
|-
|[[1979–80 Football League|1979–80]]
|Second Division
|19||3||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||20||3
|-
|[[1980–81 Football League|1980–81]]
|[[Football League First Division|First Division]]
|9||2||1||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||10||3
|-
|[[1981–82 Football League|1981–82]]
|Second Division
|39||17||5||2||3||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||47||19
|-
|[[1982–83 Leicester City F.C. season|1982–83]]
|Second Division
|40||26||1||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||43||26
|-
|[[1983–84 Leicester City F.C. season|1983–84]]
|First Division
|39||22||1||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||41||22
|-
|[[1984–85 Leicester City F.C. season|1984–85]]
|First Division
|41||24||4||3||3||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||48||29
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!194||95||13||6||9||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||216||103
|-
|[[Everton F.C.|Everton]]
|[[1985–86 Everton F.C. season|1985–86]]
|First Division
|41||30||6||5||5||3||colspan="2"|—||5{{efn|One appearance in [[FA Charity Shield]], four appearances and two goals in [[Football League Super Cup]]}}||2||57||40
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]]
|[[1986–87 FC Barcelona season|1986–87]]
|[[La Liga]]
|41||20||1||1||colspan="2"|—||8{{efn|name=UC|Appearances in [[UEFA Cup]]}}||0||colspan="2"|—||50||21
|-
|[[1987–88 FC Barcelona season|1987–88]]
|La Liga
|36||16||5||2||colspan="2"|—||8{{efn|name=UC}}||2||colspan="2"|—||49||20
|-
|[[1988–89 FC Barcelona season|1988–89]]
|La Liga
|26||6||4||1||colspan="2"|—||8{{efn|name=UCWC}}||4||1{{efn|Appearance in [[Supercopa de España]]}}||0||38||11
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!103||42||10||4||colspan="2"|—||24||6||1||0||138||52
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]]
|[[1989–90 Tottenham Hotspur F.C. season|1989–90]]
|First Division
|38||24||1||0||6||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||45||26
|-
|[[1990–91 Tottenham Hotspur F.C. season|1990–91]]
|First Division
|32||15||6||3||5||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||43||19
|-
|[[1991–92 Tottenham Hotspur F.C. season|1991–92]]
|First Division
|35||28||2||0||4||5||8{{efn|name=UCWC|Appearances in [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]]}}||2||1{{efn|Appearance in FA Charity Shield}}||0||50||35
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!105||67||9||3||15||8||8||2||1||0||138||80
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Nagoya Grampus|Nagoya Grampus Eight]]
|[[1993 Nagoya Grampus Eight season|1993]]
|[[J1 League|J League]]
|7||1||0||0||5||4||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||12||5
|-
|[[1994 Nagoya Grampus Eight season|1994]]
|J League
|11||3||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||12||3
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!18||4||0||0||6||4||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||24||8
|-
!colspan="3"|Total
!461||238||38||18||35||17||32||8||7||2||573||283
|}

{{notelist}}

===International===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="9"|[[England national football team|England]]
|1984||1||0
|-
|1985||9||6
|-
|1986||10||8
|-
|1987||7||9
|-
|1988||10||3
|-
|1989||9||3
|-
|1990||15||8
|-
|1991||11||9
|-
|1992||8||2
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!80!!48
|}

{{anchor|International goals}}

Lineker earned his first cap for England in 1984 against [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] during the [[1983–84 British Home Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=8325|title=Scotland v England 1:1, football match 26 May 1984|last=|first=|date=26 May 1984|website=eu-football.into|access-date=}}</ref> He played his last game for England in a 2–1 loss against [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]] in a [[UEFA Euro 1992 Group 1#Sweden vs England|Euro 1992 group stage match]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/5091--sweden-vs-england/|title=UEFA Euro 1992 - Sweden-England|last=|first=|date=17 June 1992|website=[[UEFA]]|access-date=}}</ref> He almost equalled the England goalscoring record, held at the time by [[Bobby Charlton]], in a pre-tournament friendly against [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]], but he missed a [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalty kick]], leaving him one goal short of Charlton's total, which [[List of international goals scored by Wayne Rooney|was overtaken]] by [[Wayne Rooney]] in 2015.<ref>{{cite web |title=England 2-0 Switzerland |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/33946644 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 September 2015 |access-date= }}</ref>

:''Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lineker goal''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/lineker-intlg.html|title=Gary Lineker - Goals in International Matches|last=|first=|date=|website=RSSSF|access-date=}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Gary Lineker
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col" data-sort-type="date" |Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Cap
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
!scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
|align="center"|1
|26 March 1985
|[[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], London, England
|2
|{{fb|IRL}}
|align="center"|2–1
|align="center"|2–1
|[[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=597|title=England 2-1 Republic of Ireland, Tuesday, 26th March 1985|last=|first=|date=26 March 1985|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|2
|rowspan="2"|16 June 1985
|rowspan="2"|[[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]], [[Los Angeles]], United States
|rowspan="2"|7
|rowspan="2"|{{fb|USA}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|5–0
|rowspan="2"|Friendly
|rowspan="2"|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=604|title=USA 0-5 England, Sunday, 16th June 1985|last=|first=|date=16 June 1985|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|3–0
|align="center"|5–0
|-
|align="center"|4
|rowspan="3"|16 October 1985
|rowspan="3"|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|rowspan="3"|9
|rowspan="3"|{{fb|TUR}}
|align="center"|2–0
|rowspan="3" align="center"|5–0
|rowspan="3"|[[1986 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 3|1986 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|rowspan="3"|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=606|title=England 5-0 Turkey, Wednesday, 16th October 1985|last=|first=|date=16 October 1985|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|5
|align="center"|4–0
|-
|align="center"|6
|align="center"|5–0
|-
|align="center"|7
|rowspan="3"|11 June 1986
|rowspan="3"|[[Estadio Tecnológico]], [[Monterrey]], Mexico
|rowspan="3"|16
|rowspan="3"|{{fb|POL}}
|align="center"|1–0
|rowspan="3" align="center"|3–0
|rowspan="3"|[[1986 FIFA World Cup]]
|rowspan="3"|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=308/match=537/index.html#nosticky|title=1986 FIFA World Cup - England-Poland|last=|first=|date=11 June 1986|website=FIFA.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214002644/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=308/match=537/index.html#nosticky|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 February 2015|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|8
|align="center"|2–0
|-
|align="center"|9
|align="center"|3–0
|-
|align="center"|10
|rowspan="2"|18 June 1986
|rowspan="2"|[[Estadio Azteca]], [[Mexico City]], Mexico
|rowspan="2"|17
|rowspan="2"|{{fb|PAR}}
|align="center"|1–0
|rowspan="2" align="center"|3–0
|rowspan="2"|1986 FIFA World Cup
|rowspan="2"|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=309/match=536/index.html#overview#nosticky|title=1986 FIFA World Cup - England-Paraguay|last=|first=|date=18 June 1986|website=FIFA.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214003541/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=309/match=536/index.html#overview#nosticky|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 February 2015|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|11
|align="center"|3–0
|-
|align="center"|12
|22 June 1986
|Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico
|18
|{{fb|ARG|}}
|align="center"|1–2
|align="center"|[[Argentina v England (1986 FIFA World Cup)|1–2]]
|1986 FIFA World Cup
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=714/match=392/index.html#nosticky|title=1986 FIFA World Cup - Argentina-England|last=|first=|date=22 June 1986|website=FIFA.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214004740/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=714/match=392/index.html#nosticky|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 February 2015|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|13
|rowspan="2"|15 October 1986
|rowspan="2"|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|rowspan="2"|19
|rowspan="2"|{{fb|NIR}}
|align="center"|1–0
|rowspan="2" align="center"|3–0
|rowspan="2"|[[UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying Group 4|UEFA Euro 1988 qualification]]
|rowspan="2"|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/1315--england-vs-northern-ireland/|title=UEFA Euro 1988 - England-Northern Ireland|last=|first=|date=15 October 1986|website=[[UEFA]]|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|14
|align="center"|3–0
|-
|align="center"|15
|rowspan="4"|18 February 1987
|rowspan="4"|[[Santiago Bernabéu Stadium]], [[Madrid]], Spain
|rowspan="4"|21
|rowspan="4"|{{fb|ESP|}}
|align="center"|1–1
|rowspan="4" align="center"|4–2
|rowspan="4"|Friendly
|rowspan="4"|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=622|title=Spain 2-4 England, Wednesday, 18th February 1987|last=|first=|date=18 February 1987|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|16
|align="center"|2–1
|-
|align="center"|17
|align="center"|3–1
|-
|align="center"|18
|align="center"|4–1
|-
|align="center"|19
|19 May 1987
|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|24
|{{Fb|BRA|1968}}
|align="center"|1–1
|align="center"|1–1
|[[1987 Rous Cup]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=625|title=England 1-1 Brazil, Tuesday, 19th May 1987|last=|first=|date=19 May 1987|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|20
|9 September 1987
|[[Rheinstadion]], [[Düsseldorf]], Germany
|25
|{{fb|West Germany}}
|align="center"|1–2
|align="center"|1–3
|Friendly
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=627|title=West Germany 3-1 England, Wednesday, 9th September 1987|last=|first=|date=9 September 1987|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|21
|rowspan="3"|14 October 1987
|rowspan="3"|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|rowspan="3"|26
|rowspan="3"|{{fb|TUR}}
|align="center"|2–0
|rowspan="3" align="center"|8–0
|rowspan="3"|[[UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying Group 4|UEFA Euro 1988 qualification]]
|rowspan="3"|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/1323--england-vs-turkiye/|title=UEFA Euro 1988 - England-Turkey|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|22
|align="center"|4–0
|-
|align="center"|23
|align="center"|7–0
|-
|align="center"|24
|23 March 1988
|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|28
|{{fb|NED}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|2–2
|Friendly
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=631|title=England 2-2 Netherlands|last=|first=|date=23 March 1988|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|25
|24 May 1988
|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|31
|{{Fb|COL}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|1–1
|[[1988 Rous Cup]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=9015|title=England v Colombia 1:1, football match 24 May 1988|last=|first=|date=24 May 1988|website=eu-football.info|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|26
|7 September 1988
|[[Stade Olympique de la Pontaise]], [[Lausanne]], Switzerland
|32
|{{fb|SUI}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|1–0
|Friendly
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=635|title=Switzerland 0-1 England|last=|first=|date=28 May 1988|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|27
|26 April 1989
|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|40
|{{fb|ALB|1946}}
|align="center"|2–0
|align="center"|5–0
|[[1990 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 2|1990 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=644|title=England 5-0 Albania|last=|first=|date=26 April 1989|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|28
|3 June 1989
|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|41
|{{Fb|POL}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|3–0
|1990 FIFA World Cup qualification
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=647|title=England 3-0 Poland|last=|first=|date=3 June 1989|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|29
|7 July 1989
|[[Københavns Idrætspark]], [[Copenhagen]], Denmark
|42
|{{fb|DEN}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|1–1
|Friendly
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=648|title=Denmark 1-1 England|last=|first=|date=7 July 1989|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|30
|28 March 1990
|rowspan="2"|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|47
|{{fb|BRA|1968}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|1–0
|Friendly
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=653|title=England 1-0 Brazil|last=|first=|date=28 March 1990|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|31
|15 May 1990
|49
|{{Fb|DEN}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|1–0
|Friendly
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=655|title=England 1-0 Denmark|last=|first=|date=15 May 1990|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|32
|11 June 1990
|[[Stadio Sant'Elia]], [[Cagliari]], Italy
|52
|{{fb|IRL}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|1–1
|[[1990 FIFA World Cup]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=322/match=161/index.html#overview#nosticky|title=1990 FIFA World Cup - England-Republic of Ireland|last=|first=|date=11 June 1990|website=FIFA.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511150601/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=322/match=161/index.html#overview#nosticky|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 May 2015|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|33
|rowspan="2"|1 July 1990
|rowspan="2"|[[Stadio San Paolo]], [[Naples]], Italy
|rowspan="2"|56
|rowspan="2"|{{fb|CMR}}
|align="center"|2–2
|rowspan="2" align="center"|3–2 {{Aet}}
|rowspan="2"|1990 FIFA World Cup
|rowspan="2"|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=751/match=103/index.html#overview#nosticky|title=1990 FIFA World Cup - England-Cameroon|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511142910/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=751/match=103/index.html#overview#nosticky|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 May 2015|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|34
|align="center"|3–2
|-
|align="center"|35
|4 July 1990
|[[Stadio delle Alpi]], [[Turin]], Italy
|57
|{{fb|West Germany}}
|align="center"|1–1
|align="center"|1–1 {{Pso|3–4}}
|1990 FIFA World Cup
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=3464/match=159/index.html#nosticky|title=1990 FIFA World Cup - Germany FR-England|last=|first=|date=4 July 1990|website=FIFA.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214005206/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=3464/match=159/index.html#nosticky|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 February 2015|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|36
|22 September 1990
|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|59
|{{fb|HUN}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|1–0
|Friendly
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=665|title=England 1-0 Hungary|last=|first=|date=12 September 1990|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|37
|17 October 1990
|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|60
|{{fb|POL}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|2–0
|[[UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying Group 7|UEFA Euro 1992 qualification]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/3022--england-vs-poland/|title=UEFA Euro 1992 - England-Poland|last=|first=|date=17 October 1990|website=[[UEFA]]|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|38
|rowspan="2"|6 February 1991
|rowspan="2"|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|rowspan="2"|62
|rowspan="2"|{{fb|CMR}}
|align="center"|1–0
|rowspan="2" align="center"|2–0
|rowspan="2"|Friendly
|rowspan="2"|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=668|title=England 2-0 Cameroon|last=|first=|date=6 February 1991|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|39
|align="center"|2–0
|-
|align="center"|40
|25 May 1991
|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|65
|{{fb|ARG|}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|2–2
|[[1991 England Challenge Cup]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=672|title=England 2-2 Argentina|last=|first=|date=25 May 1991|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|41
|3 June 1991
|[[Mount Smart Stadium]], [[Auckland]], New Zealand
|67
|{{fb|NZL}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|1–0
|Friendly
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=674|title=New Zealand 0-1 England|last=|first=|date=3 June 1991|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|42
|rowspan="4"|12 June 1991
|rowspan="4"|[[Stadium Merdeka]], [[Kuala Lumpur]], Malaysia
|rowspan="4"|68
|rowspan="4"|{{fb|MAS}}
|align="center"|1–0
|rowspan="4" align="center"|4–2
|rowspan="4"|Friendly
|rowspan="4"|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=676|title=Malaysia 2-4 England|last=|first=|date=12 June 1991|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|43
|align="center"|2–0
|-
|align="center"|44
|align="center"|3–0
|-
|align="center"|45
|align="center"|4–1
|-
|align="center"|46
|13 November 1991
|[[Stadion Miejski (Poznań)|Stadion Miejski]], [[Poznań]], Poland
|71
|{{Fb|POL}}
|align="center"|1–1
|align="center"|1–1
|[[UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying Group 7|UEFA Euro 1992 qualification]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/3022--england-vs-poland/|title=UEFA Euro 1992 - Poland-England|last=|first=|date=13 November 1991|website=[[UEFA]]|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|47
|19 February 1992
|Wembley Stadium, London, England
|72
|{{fb|FRA}}
|align="center"|2–0
|align="center"|2–0
|Friendly
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=680|title=England 2-0 France|last=|first=|date=19 February 1992|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|48
|29 April 1992
|[[Luzhniki Stadium]], [[Moscow]], Russia
|74
|{{fb|CIS}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center"|2–2
|Friendly
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=682|title=CIS 2-2 England|last=|first=|date=29 April 1992|website=englandstats.com|access-date=}}</ref>
|}

==Honours==
'''Leicester City'''
* [[Football League Second Division]]: [[1979–80 Football League Second Division|1979–80]]{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}

'''Everton'''
* [[FA Charity Shield]]: [[1985 FA Charity Shield|1985]]{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}

'''Barcelona'''
* [[European Cup Winners' Cup]]: [[1988–89 European Cup Winners' Cup|1988–89]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Corrigan |first=Dermot |date=October 23, 2025 |title=Gary Lineker on El Clasico: Superstars still go to Real or Barca over anyone else, and expect goals |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6732643/2025/10/23/gary-lineker-clasico-real-madrid-barcelona-goals/ |access-date=October 25, 2025 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
* [[Copa del Rey]]: [[1987–88 Copa del Rey|1987–88]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 September 2023 |title=An ode to Gary Lineker at Barcelona: King of El Clasico and almost-legend |url=https://onefootball.com/id/berita/an-ode-to-gary-lineker-at-barcelona-king-of-el-clasico-and-almost-legend-38220888 |access-date=25 October 2025 |website=OneFootball}}</ref>

'''Tottenham Hotspur'''
* [[FA Cup]]: [[1990–91 FA Cup|1990–91]]{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}
* FA Charity Shield: [[1991 FA Charity Shield|1991]] (shared)<ref>{{cite web|title=1991/92 F.A. Charity Shield|url=http://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/CommunityShield/1991-92CharityShield.htm|website=Footballsite|access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref>

'''Individual'''
* [[English Football Hall of Fame]]: 2003<ref>{{cite web|title=About the Hall of Fame|url=http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/explore-the-museum/hall-of-fame/about-the-hall-of-fame|publisher=National Football Museum|access-date=5 January 2016|archive-date=9 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109105741/http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/explore-the-museum/hall-of-fame/about-the-hall-of-fame|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Professional Footballers' Association|PFA]] Team of the Century (1977–1996): 2007<ref>{{cite news|title=Team of the Century: 1977–1996 – Souness, Robson & Hoddle...not a bad midfield trio! |url=http://www.givemefootball.com/pfa-legends/teams-of-the-century/team-of-the-century-1977-1996 |work=GiveMeFootball.com |publisher=Give Me Football |date=30 August 2007 |access-date=22 September 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022111004/http://www.givemefootball.com/pfa-legends/teams-of-the-century/team-of-the-century-1977-1996 |archive-date=22 October 2008}}</ref>
* [[PFA Players' Player of the Year]]: [[1985–86 in English football|1985–86]]<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Cormack |first=James |date=August 19, 2025 |title=All Time PFA Players' Player of the Year Winners List |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/all-time-pfa-players-player-of-the-year-winners-list |access-date=October 25, 2025 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref>
* [[FWA Footballer of the Year]]: [[1985–86 in English football|1985–86]], [[1991-92 in English football|1991–92]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Previous Winners – Footballer of the year |url=https://footballwriters.co.uk/previous-foty/ |access-date=October 25, 2025 |website=Football Writers' Association}}</ref>
* [[PFA Team of the Year]]: [[1989–90 Football League#First Division|1989–90 First Division]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Lynch |title=The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes |page=148}}</ref> [[1991–92 Football League#First Division|1991–92 First Division]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Lynch |title=The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes |page=149}}</ref>
* [[Football League First Division|English First Division]] top scorer: [[1984–85 in English football|1984–85]], [[1985–86 in English football|1985–86]], [[1989-90 in English football|1989–90]]
* [[Football League Second Division|English Second Division]] top scorer: [[1982–83 in English football|1982–83]]<ref>{{cite web|title=English League Leading Goalscorers |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engtops.html |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation |access-date=11 June 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628202228/http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engtops.html |archive-date=28 June 2011 }}</ref>
* [[Ballon d'Or]] runner-up: 1986<ref>{{cite web |last1=Réthacker |first1=Jean-Philippe |title=Palmarès Ballon d'Or: 1986 - Igor Belanov |url=https://www.francefootball.fr/news/1986-igor-belanov/423429 |website=France Football |date=30 December 1986}}</ref>
* [[FIFA 100]]<ref name="OFCPressRelease">{{cite press release|title=FIFA Names Top 100 players|url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/archives-3999/|publisher=[[Oceania Football Confederation]]|date=4 March 2004|access-date=25 October 2025|archive-date=12 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212184512/https://www.oceaniafootball.com/archives-3999/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[World Cup Golden Boot|FIFA World Cup Golden Boot]]: [[1986 FIFA World Cup#Awards|1986]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/gary-lineker-bbc-match-of-the-day-b2753738.html|title=How Gary Lineker went from World Cup golden boot to controversial BBC exit|date=19 May 2025|work=The Independent}}</ref>
* [[FIFA World Cup awards#All-Star Team|FIFA World Cup All-Star Team]]: [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=FIFA World Cup All-Star Team Winners |url=https://fbref.com/en/awards/wc_all_star/FIFA-World-Cup-All-Star-Team |access-date=25 October 2025 |website=FBREF}}</ref>
* [[Onze d'Or|Onze de Bronze]]: 1986<ref name="RSSSF">{{cite web|last=Pierrend |first=José Luis |title="Onze Mondial" Awards |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation |date=March 6, 2012 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/onze-awards.html |access-date=25 October 2025}}</ref>
* [[Onze d'Or|Onze Mondial]]: 1986, 1987<ref>{{Cite web|title="Onze Mondial" Awards|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/onze-awards.html|access-date=2021-12-17|website=[[RSSSF]]|archive-date=4 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190704020132/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/onze-awards.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[World Soccer (magazine)#Eric Batty's World XI|World XI]]: 1986, 1987<ref name="BTLM80s">{{cite web |url=https://beyondthelastman.com/2014/03/10/eric-battys-world-xis-the-eighties-and-nineties/ |website=Beyond The Last Man |date=10 March 2014 |title=Eric Batty's World XI's – The Eighties and Nineties |access-date=23 July 2020 |archive-date=31 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131120633/https://beyondthelastman.com/2014/03/10/eric-battys-world-xis-the-eighties-and-nineties/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[FIFA World Player of the Year]] bronze award: 1991<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/ballon-dor/archive/edition=1991/overview.html |title=Matthaus takes inaugural award |access-date=27 February 2015 |publisher=FIFA |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227091021/http://www.fifa.com/ballon-dor/archive/edition%3D1991/overview.html |archive-date=27 February 2015 }}</ref>
* [[FIFA Fair Play Award]]: 1990<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 14, 2023 |title="Fair play"? The Gary Lineker controversy is a timely reminder of the importance of impartiality |url=https://www.abc.net.au/religion/gary-lineker-the-bbc-and-the-importance-of-impartiality/102094324 |access-date=October 25, 2025 |website=ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)}}</ref>
* [[FWA Tribute Award]]: 1997<ref>{{Cite web |title=Previous Winners – Tribute |url=https://footballwriters.co.uk/previous-tribute/ |access-date=October 25, 2025 |website=Football Writers' Association}}</ref>

== Fellowships ==
Lineker is a Visiting Fellow of [[Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford|Lady Margaret Hall]], [[University of Oxford]], appointed 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lmh.ox.ac.uk/visiting-fellows|title=Visiting Fellows at LMH|website=Lady Margaret Hall|language=en|access-date=21 January 2020}}</ref>

== Honours and awards ==
In 1992, he received an [[Honorary degree|Honorary Master of Arts]] award from [[Loughborough University]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=University Honours archive {{!}} Graduation {{!}} Loughborough University |url=https://www.lboro.ac.uk/students/graduation/honorary-graduates/archive/ |access-date=7 February 2024 |website=www.lboro.ac.uk}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=Gary Lineker: Strikingly Different |first=Colin |last=Malam |publisher=Stanley Paul |location=London |year=1993 |isbn=0-09-175424-0 }}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{NFT player}}
* {{Soccerbase|id=4536}}
* {{Englandstats | 980 }}
* {{IMDb name|id=0512633}}
* {{J.League player}}
* [https://www.jleague.jp/video/detail/1785/ Lineker's first goal in Jleague] – J.League official

{{Navboxes
| title = England squads
| bg = white
| fg = #CF081F
| bordercolor = #0B0B3F
| list1 = 
{{England squad 1986 FIFA World Cup}}
{{England squad UEFA Euro 1988}}
{{England squad 1990 FIFA World Cup}}
{{England squad UEFA Euro 1992}}
}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list1 = 
{{1986 FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament}}
{{FIFA World Cup Golden Boot}}
{{1986 World Soccer World XI}}
{{1987 World Soccer World XI}}
{{1985–86 Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{1989–90 Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{1991–92 Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{English First Division top scorers}}
{{English Second Division top scorers}}
{{PFA Players' Player of the Year}}
{{FWA Footballer of the Year}}
{{FWA Tribute Award}}
{{Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{English Football Hall of Fame}}
{{FIFA 100}}
{{Football League 100 Legends}}
}}
{{People's Vote}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lineker, Gary}}
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