Lineker delivers emotional farewell as MOTD era ends at the BBC | OneFootball

Emotional farewell for Gary Lineker as BBC and Match of the Day era ends

Lineker’s long goodbye and a moment that changed everything

There are farewells, and then there are reckonings. Gary Lineker’s final appearance on Match of the Day felt like a reluctant blend of both, a parting scripted not just by personal reflection but by political backlash, institutional caution, and the inevitable pressure of public scrutiny. It wasn’t supposed to end like this, but then nothing at the BBC quite does anymore.

After more than 25 years as the defining voice of the BBC’s Premier League coverage, Lineker bid goodbye to his role with a wry quip and a heavy heart. “It wasn’t meant to end this way,” he said, opening his final show. “But with the title race over and the relegation places confirmed, the Champions League was all we had left to talk about.”

Photo: IMAGO

Except, of course, the subtext was about far more than football. It was about tone, timing and a misjudged social media post that collided with the long-brewing culture wars that have increasingly engulfed British public life — and which ultimately cost one of the country’s most recognisable broadcasters his seat at the heart of its sporting tradition.

End of an era framed by emotion and applause

Lineker’s last appearance on MOTD was a mix of poignancy and performative farewell. The BBC, in a gesture both generous and polished, rolled out a farewell montage that stitched together highlights from his 26-year tenure. Messages poured in — Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, Pep Guardiola, Virgil van Dijk, even Andrea Bocelli — in a tribute that managed to be moving without ever entirely masking the discomfort that preceded it.

Photo: IMAGO

“I’d like to wish Gabby, Mark and Kelly all the very best when they sit in this chair,” Lineker said of his successors — Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates. “The programme is in the best of hands.”

Joined by Shearer and Micah Richards, Lineker ended with familiar humour and humble appreciation: “Rather like my football career, everyone else did all the hard work and I got the plaudits. It has been an absolute privilege to have hosted Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It has been utterly joyous.”

Photo The Times

He was handed a MOTD cap, a golden boot and a standing ovation. But beneath the warmth lingered the unmistakable awkwardness of a departure shaped by digital outrage and institutional risk aversion.

Apology, amplification and the fine print of online expression

It is worth revisiting the moment that prompted this final act. On 13 May, Lineker reposted an Instagram video from a group called Palestine Lobby, captioned “Zionism explained in two minutes”. It also included a cartoonish image of a rat — a symbol with undeniable antisemitic connotations. Lineker later deleted the post and issued an unreserved apology.

“I would never knowingly share anything antisemitic,” he said. “It goes against everything I believe in.” He added: “It was an error on my part for which I apologise unreservedly.”

But the storm had already formed. The Campaign Against Antisemitism called his position “untenable” and launched a petition for his dismissal. Figures from across the political spectrum weighed in. The BBC — already battered from previous Lineker controversies — quickly moved from planning to retain him for FA Cup and World Cup coverage, to letting him go entirely.

As Tim Davie, BBC Director-General, noted: “Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season.”

Public broadcaster meets private ideology

What remains striking in this whole affair is the BBC’s delicate dance between impartiality and integrity, between freedom of expression and the demands of public neutrality. Lineker has long been more than a football presenter. He has been a political voice, a humanitarian commentator, and at times, an avatar for the BBC’s internal contradiction — outspoken, popular and uncomfortable.

His previous run-in with the broadcaster in 2023, when he compared the government’s immigration rhetoric to 1930s Germany, had already tested the limits of what was permissible for a public figure on a public salary. Then, he was suspended and reinstated amid backlash. This time, the red lines were crossed more definitively.

And yet, as Lineker said: “Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember — both on the pitch and in the studio.” His affection for the game and its culture never waned. But this latest controversy exposed a deep tension between those personal convictions and a media environment increasingly allergic to ambiguity.

Farewell from a figure who reshaped football on TV

Lineker’s exit should still be noted for what it symbolised. He changed how football was talked about on television — smart, sharp, unafraid to laugh, but also serious when needed. He was a bridge between generations, between dressing rooms and studio lights. At a time when the sport became hyper-commercialised, Lineker’s presence retained a kind of levity and sincerity that grounded Match of the Day in something recognisable.

Photo IMAGO

His departure ends an era, not just of broadcasting, but of how sport sits within culture. MOTD will carry on, but the voice that once linked Shearer’s analysis with a joke about zonal marking is gone. And with it, perhaps, a small part of the BBC’s soul too.

Lineker’s final message was one of grace, reflection and, in spite of it all, accountability: “I care deeply about the game, and about the work I’ve done with the BBC over many years… Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.”