GARY LINEKER has put an expiration date on his career as a football presenter and pundit.
Lineker, 64, already announced earlier this year that he would be leaving Match of the Day after 26 years in the presenter’s seat for the BBC.
GettyGary Lineker has confirmed when he will step away from football punditry[/caption]
The former England and Barcelona striker will make his final appearance on the highlights show on May 25.
But will continue to front the BBC’s live FA Cup coverage next season and will also lead the coverage of the 2026 World Cup finals.
However, Lineker has revealed that he doesn’t think his punditry career will carry on past that summer – telling the Telegraph that he will call it a day after the tournament.
He said: “Once I’ve done the World Cup, I won’t be a football presenter again. I’ll focus more on my podcast empire.”
Lineker co-owns a podcast production company called Goalhanger Productions, which has seen immense success since its inception in 2018.
It is now the largest independent podcast producer outside of the US and has a number of top podcasts hosted by recognisable faces.
Those include The Rest is Football, hosted by Lineker himself alongside Micah Richards and Alan Shearer, as well as The Rest is Entertainment, a podcast hosted by TV icon Richard Osman and respected journalist Marina Hyde.
While it is also the home of The Rest is Politics, one of the leading political podcast fronted up by Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell.
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Lineker has been unapologetically vocal about politics in recent years and has even come in for criticism for a number of opinions.
But the legendary footballer has vowed to steer clear of entering the world of politics when he does end his punditry career in 2026.
He added: “I won’t get involved in politics, I never really have.
“Apart from the Brexit vote, because I did a lot of research on that and decided, ‘This could be worse than we think’.
“I never back a government. I might criticise Sir Keir Starmer on Israel. But nobody knows my politics.”
Lineker is being replaced as Match of the Day host by Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman next season.
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