Gary Lineker admits he's 'getting old' as he opens up on Match of the Day future

Gary Lineker has acknowledged the inevitability of slowing down his career, amidst ongoing speculation about his tenure on Match Of The Day. As he approaches his 64th birthday at the end of November, Lineker, the BBC's highest-paid on-air talent, remains under contract until the football season concludes.

Despite last month’s denials from the corporation regarding imminent announcements about his future, Lineker had humorously brushed off rumours, jesting that an early October edition of Match of the Day might be his last “before the international break”.

In addition to his television presenting role, the 63-year-old Lineker also manages a fruitful podcast enterprise, which includes the well-regarded 'The Rest Is Football', hosting alongside fellow Match Of The Day experts Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. .

His musings on a potential shift in focus to his podcast business, possibly stateside, came during an extensive interview with Esquire magazine for their Winter issue. The interview, conducted in early August, revealed Lineker considering, "I could do. Whether that will be the case I don’t know. At some point, I have to slow down somewhere... I’m getting old."

Lineker, famed for his time on the field with England, Tottenham, and Barcelona, assumed the mantle of Match of the Day from Des Lynam, who departed for ITV in 1999.

Lineker, who has been the BBC’s top-earning on-air talent for seven years running, was reported to have earned an estimated £1.35million in the year 2023/24, as per the corporation’s annual report released in July.

Newcastle United transfer news straight to your phone on WhatsApp

It's quick and easy to join. Just click this link and select 'Join Community' to get started.

Plus you can follow our new Newcastle United channel right here - just follow this link

Your informational will be hidden, you'll only ever receive messages from the Chronicle Live sports team, and you can leave any time you like. For more information, click here. You can read our Privacy Notice here.