Gary Lineker delivers emotional final Match of the Day speech before BBC exit | OneFootball

Gary Lineker concluded it had been “an absolute privilege” and “utterly joyous” in an emotional final speech as Match of the Day presenter before the former England, Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona striker steps down earlier than planned and leaves the BBC following the antisemitism row.

Lineker has anchored the BBC’s flagship football programme and worked with the corporation for 26 years.

Lineker, alongside pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards seemingly made a joke at his own expense to start the show before highlights of the final day of the 2024/25 Premier League season.

“It wasn't meant to end this way,” Lineker quipped, in a message open to interpretation after a turbulent few weeks and the ultimately controversial decision to part ways with the BBC.

“But with a title race over and the relegation places confirmed, the Champions League was all we had to talk about!”

During the show the BBC played a series of tributes and highlights, which included Shearer, Richards, Ian Wright, Alan Smith, Peter Shilton, Paul Gascoigne and others, as well as his sons George, Angus, Tobias and Harry.

“You're a legend, fortunate enough to have met you a number of times,” Liverpool’s title-winning captain Virgil Van Dijk said.

Before Man City boss Pep Guardiola added: “You will be missed, you don’t believe it, but you will, I love the program, hopefully life will give you a new challenge.”

“I wish you all the best my friend, because I love you,” an emotional Wright concluded. While Shearer said: “Whatever you choose to do on Saturdays, good luck, we’ll miss you!”

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Gary Lineker presents his final Match of the Day before his BBC exit (BBC)

In the final minutes of the show, Lineker, starting to tear up, heard from Andrea Bocelli, who famously sang during Leicester City’s title-winning celebrations at the King Power Stadium, with the Italian’s ‘Time to say Goodbye’ playing during the closing credits.

“I'll try, for one last time, here's the Premier League table,” Lineker started to close out the show. “I can't find a copy, you can read it for yourself, it doesn't matter, Liverpool won the league, the teams that won qualification for the Champions League are Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea and Newcastle, Villa and Forest will also play European football next season.

"The bottom of the table... It's the first time I've ever ad-libbed this, the bottom three are going down, as they tend to do. One of those teams is Leicester, which is not really how I wanted to finish.

"Alan, Micah, thank you, I suspect our paths will cross again very shortly.

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Gary Lineker closes out his final Match of the Day before leaving the BBC (BBC)

"Let me take this opportunity to thank all the other pundits I've had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years. You've made my job so much easier, also a huge thank you to those you don't see at home, the work that goes into making this iconic show is a huge team effort.

"From the editors to the analysis team, from the commentators to the floor managers, from the producers to the camera operators, from the PAs to the subs. Thank you all. You're the very best.

"Rather like my football career, everyone else did all the hard work and I got the plaudits. It's been an absolute privilege to host Match of the Day for a quarter of a century, it's been utterly joyous. I'd like to wish Gabby [Logan], Mark [Chapman] and Kelly [Cates] all the very best when they sit in this chair.

"The programme is in the best of hands. My final thank you goes to all of you, thank you for watching, thank you for all your love and support over the years, it's been so special, and I'm sorry your team was always on last. Time to say goodbye, goodbye.”

Lineker had earlier picked the goal of the season, too, selecting Kaoru Mitoma’s strike against Chelsea after Shearer and Richards were split between the Brighton star and Man City forward Omar Marmoush’s powerful hit against Bournemouth.

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Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker outside his home in London (PA Wire)

“I think Marmoush was fantastic,” claimed Lineker. “But Mitoma was a bit different.”

Lineker was due to leave Match of the Day at the end of the season, but had been slated to continue presenting future coverage for the broadcaster including the men’s World Cup next summer and the next FA Cup.

However, Lineker’s exit was accelerated after a row erupted over him inadvertently sharing a pro-Palestine social media post which featured a picture of a rat, a symbol which has been used in antisemitic propaganda, including by the Nazis.

Lineker apologised for the incident, saying he would “never knowingly share anything antisemitic”, but added, “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.”

Lineker’s comments on social media had landed him in hot water before, with BBC bosses concerned his outspoken comments on certain issues, such as Palestine, flouted the corporation’s strict impartiality rules.