With BBC Match of the Day stalwart Gary Lineker in line to step down from his role as host, one of his friends and soon to be future colleagues has issued a gleaming tribute

Gary Lineker, the former England footballer, will step down from the BBC's Match of the Day at the end of the current season after 25 years of presenting the programme, the broadcaster said in a statement on Tuesday.

Gary Lineker is departing BBC’s flagship soccer series “Match of the Day,” but has extended his contract with the broadcaster through the 2026 World Cup. Lineker, the broadcaster’s highest-paid presenter who has hosted the show since 1999,

Gary Lineker as host of BBC One's Match of the Day. The former England striker-turned-broadcaster will leave the long-running football highlights show after 25 years at the helm at the end of the season,

Lineker is stepping down as Match of the Day host at the end of the season after 25 years at the helm before leaving the BBC entirely in 2026

Lineker joked about his future recently on the programme amid speculation around his contract discussions with the BBC over an extension, while acknowledging his other business interests would mean something needed to give eventually.