50 Times Football Changed the World

Gary Lineker

Gary Winston Lineker is an English sports broadcaster, former professional footballer and businessman who played as a 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, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur. He also played for Barcelona in Spain, and won 80 caps for 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 Al Jazeera Sports, Eredivisie Live, NBC Sports Network, and BT Sport's coverage of the UEFA Champions League. In 2018 he cofounded Goalhanger, a media company that primarily produces podcasts, notably several under "The Rest is..." brand.