‘A really underrated pundit, analytically good, and always fun to be around’: Gary Lineker reveals which BBC Match of the Day pundit he will miss the most

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Gary Lineker is in his final weeks as the Match of the Day presenter

Gary Lineker presents next to the FA Cup Gary Linekr presents alongside the FA Cup for Manchester City's semi-final against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium in April 2022.
Gary Lineker began presenting Match of the Day in 1999 (Image credit: Getty Images)

Gary Lineker is currently gearing up for what will be an emotional Match of the Day farewell.

The BBC confirmed in November that the former England striker will be leaving the their flagship football show at the end of the current season, more than 25 years after he was given the job of presenting the show following the exit of Des Lynam.

Lineker - who FourFourTwo ranked at no.10 in our list of the greatest England players of all time - will host the BBC’s FA Cup coverage next season, plus the 2026 World Cup before bowing out.

Lineker on the pundit he will miss the most

Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker back in 1990

Lineker has hosted Match of the Day since 1999 and worked with countless pundits during his tenure, from former team-mates and rivals to modern-day international stars.

And while he will continue to work with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards on his podcaste 'The Rest Is Football' , FourFourTwo wanted to know which pundit he will miss working with the most.

Gary Lineker, September 2023

Gary Lineker will continue to host his The Rest is Football podcast (Image credit: Getty Images)

“There’s no point saying Alan or Micah, as I’ll still be working with them,” he tells us. “I don’t like any of the others!

“That’s a joke… I’ll miss Danny Murphy, a really underrated pundit, analytically good, and always fun to be around.”

Former England, Liverpool and Fulham midfielder Murphy first appeared as a pundit on Match of the Day in August 2013, shortly before he announced his retirement as a player which saw him turn out more than 750 times for seven clubs across 19 years, plus a further nine England caps.

The 48-year-old is now a regular in the Match of the Day studio, appearing more than 170 times on the programme, with his tally quickly approaching Liverpool legend and MOTD icon Alan Hansen, who made 192 appearances.

Gary Lineker, Danny Murphy, Micah Richards and Alan Shearer working on BBC coverage of the FA Cup semi-final between Manchester City and Liverpool at Wembley in April 2022.

Lineker alongside Danny Murphy, Micah Richards and Alan Shearer (Image credit: Getty Images)

The BBC confirmed in January that Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will split presenting duties on Match of the Day from next season, as the programme gets ready for its biggest shake-up in a generation.

As well as fronting next season’s FA Cup coverage and the 2026 World Cup, Lineker will also see his successful The Rest is Football podcast be hosted on BBC Sounds.

Joe Mewis
Joe Mewis

For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.

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