The Japan Times - Gary Lineker: England's World Cup hero turned BBC's 'defining voice'

The 64-year-old's time with the British broadcaster will come to an end on Sunday after agreeing to step down over a controversial social media post that contained anti-Semitic imagery.

Lineker apologised unreservedly for what he described as an "oversight" in not checking the post on Instagram about Zionism that contained a rat, historically used as an anti-Semitic insult.

But the incident was just the latest in a series of controversies as Lineker's outspoken political views on social media collided with the BBC's strict docrine of impartiality.

Born in Leicester in 1960, Lineker realised his boyhood dream by turning professional with his home town club.

He scored over 100 goals in six years at the Foxes and was later honoured as a Freeman of the City of Leicester.

But his goalscoring prowess at a side not competing for trophies at the top of the English game saw him snapped up by then champions Everton in 1985.

In just one season on Merseyside, Lineker was again the league's top scorer as Everton narrowly missed out on a league and cup double to local rivals Liverpool.

- World Cup spotlight -

The 1986 World Cup was to take Lineker's profile to a new level.

His six goals, before England bowed out to Argentina in a hugely controversial quarter-final, saw him win the Golden Boot ahead of Diego Maradona.

"After that first World Cup, I couldn't go anywhere without being jumped upon – it was a different world," Lineker told the magazine Four Four Two.

His performances caught the attention of Barcelona, who paid a princely sum at the time of £2.8 million ($3.4 million) for his services.

Lineker spent three years at the Camp Nou and was christened with the nickname "El Matador" for his predatory finishing.

On the field he won the Copa del Rey in 1988 and Cup Winners' Cup a year later, but the highlight of his time in Catalonia was a hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Real Madrid in 1987.

He returned to England in 1989 as Tottenham beat out Manchester United for his signature and finally won a trophy in English football when Spurs lifted the 1991 FA Cup.

In between there was more World Cup heartache in 1990 as despite Lineker's four goals, including one in the semi-finals, England lost in the last four to Germany on penalties.

The final stage of his club career was a short stint in Japan with Grampus Eight before retiring in 1994.

- 'Defining voice' -

A rise to the top of the sports broadcasting then began with appearances as a pundit BBC radio and TV.

He took over as host of "Match of the Day" in 1999 and also fronted BBC coverage of other major events such as Olympics.

In a statement on Monday, director general Tim Davie described Lineker as the "defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades".

He was the corporation's highest paid presenter with an annual salary of £1.35 million.

As a player, Lineker boasted an impeccable disciplinary record as he never received a yellow or red card during his 16-year career.

But his desire to speak out on political matters has made him much more difficult for BBC bosses to handle due to the corporation's committment to impartiality.

Lineker has hosted refugees in his home and in 2016 criticised treatment of refugees in the UK as being "hideously racist and utterly heartless".

In March 2023, Lineker was briefly taken off air after comparing the language used to launch a British government asylum policy to the rhetoric of Nazi-era Germany.

The move by the BBC hierarchy backfired when leading pundits and commentators pulled out of "Match of the Day" in a show of solidarity, leaving one of the BBC's landmark shows in disarray.

Lineker was already due to step aside from "Match of the Day" next season but had been due to front coverage of the 2026 World Cup before the latest controversy accelerated his departure.

K.Abe--JT