During the live broadcast of England‘s World Cup semi-final match against Argentina, presenter Mark Chapman made a light-hearted remark about Gary Lineker. The comment occurred as part of the pre-match coverage, which saw Chapman leading the broadcast from Salford before moving to Atlanta for the semi-final.
The exchange began when pundit Micah Richards reacted to a graphic displayed on screen. The graphic compared the World Cup goals of Jude Bellingham, who had scored seven goals from 9.4 metres, with those of Lineker, who had ten goals from 7.3 metres. Richards, a former Manchester City defender, quipped that Lineker was “dropping down the table” in response to the statistic.
Chapman then interjected with a playful “Gary, Gary who?” This prompted him to quickly clarify his statement, saying, “Joke, joke, joke, before everyone piles on. Goodness me.” He further explained, “Before everybody piles on, joke! Goodness me,” to ensure his comment was understood as humorous and to prevent any misinterpretation from viewers.
Lineker was not part of the BBC‘s official World Cup coverage for this tournament. His contract with the broadcaster concluded after the 2024-25 season, following a disagreement regarding his social media activity. This departure meant that Chapman, alongside Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates, took on the primary presenting roles for the tournament.
The former England striker had previously apologised for sharing a social media post that contained an antisemitic trope. Despite his absence from the BBC‘s main coverage, Lineker has remained active in football media. He has been hosting his podcast, “The Rest is Football,” in partnership with Netflix, broadcasting daily from New York City. Richards is also involved with this podcast.
Lineker also made a brief appearance on ITV‘s coverage earlier in the tournament. He is also set to front a game show called The Box on ITV, which is scheduled to air in autumn 2026. This move to ITV came after his departure from the BBC.
The graphic that prompted the on-air discussion highlighted Jude Bellingham‘s significant contributions to England‘s campaign. Bellingham’s seven goals were all scored inside the penalty area, covering a distance of 9.4 metres. The graphic also showed that only Rudi Voller, Lineker, Gerd Muller, and Miroslav Klose covered less distance for their goal returns.
Bellingham has been a key player for Thomas Tuchel‘s side, and his back-to-back braces against Mexico and Norway were crucial in helping England reach the semi-final stage. He is currently one goal behind Three Lions captain Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot.
Lineker, who previously presented Match of the Day for 26 years, has had ongoing interactions with his former employer throughout the tournament. He even appeared on the BBC‘s post-match reaction show following England‘s 2-1 victory over Norway, where he offered analysis on a penalty decision involving Djed Spence.
During that appearance, Lineker joined Micah Richards‘ analysis, suggesting that Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence should have been awarded a penalty. However, the initial spot-kick decision was overturned by referee Clement Turpin after a review, which determined that Spence had initiated the contact.
The playful exchange during the England v Argentina match underscored the ongoing public interest in Lineker’s career and his relationship with the BBC, even as he continues his work with Netflix and prepares for his new role on ITV.
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Source: independent.co.uk
As NewsGB's Senior Football Correspondent, Jack Ferndale reports on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side for readers across the country. He covered north-east football for a regional daily. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of Sunderland and completed an NCTJ diploma. Jack lives in Sunderland, where he watches lower-league football home and away. “The story is in the squad, not just the starting eleven.”
