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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Former Tottenham star took MOTD role in 1999</li><li>Will be stepping down at end of the season</li><li>Ex-players become pundits rather than presenters</li></ul><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n"><strong>Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</strong></a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

Next Gary Lineker? Match of the Day host names two Premier League stars that could become presenters - as ex-England striker prepares to leave prominent role after 25 years

<p>Back in 1999, former Tottenham and Barcelona star Lineker was trusted by the BBC with inheriting presenting duties on their flagship Premier League highlights show. He has remained in that role for 25 years, but will be <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/weird-gary-lineker-explains-why-leaving-match-of-the-day-reveals-whether-watch-show-new-host-2025-26/bltcbd2a252f484977d" target="_blank">walking away at the end of the current campaign</a>.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>Lineker <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/gary-lineker-leave-match-of-the-day-chase-american-dream-ex-england-star-could-do-admission-questions-bbc-future/blt7ad3305aa0ece1c5" target="_blank">broke the mould when taking the MOTD reins</a>, with important lessons being picked up from predecessor Des Lynam before he completed the transition from player to presenter. He has told <a href="https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/gary-lineker-current-players-pundits " target="_blank"><em>FourFourTwo</em></a> of treading that path: “Jimmy Hill had done it for a bit and Bob Wilson did it. But I looked at other sports and saw Sue Barker and David Gower, two people who’d played at the top of their sports, and thought, ‘Why has football not had that? It’s just general presenters who do the football all of the time’.”</p>

WHAT GARY LINEKER SAID

<p><span></span>The BBC are moving back to “general presenters” as Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/kelly-cates-reveals-why-landing-match-of-the-day-role-killed-me-no-friction-gary-lineker-successors-ego-filled-world/blt7d00aaa2a9f904dd" target="_blank">prepare to share Match of the Day hosting duties</a>. The door will, however, be left open for another former player to follow in Lineker’s footsteps at some stage.</p>

THE GOSSIP

<p>Quizzed on who that could be, the 64-year-old said: “It’s hard to know who could be a TV presenter at some point in the future, because it’s very different, though there are quite a few I could see being really good pundits. James Maddison for one, and Conor Coady has already done a lot of television. You can see which ones are decent in interviews. All-round presenting is a separate skill.”</p>

DID YOU KNOW?

<p>Plenty of ex-players move into punditry - with the likes of Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand and <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/managerial-flop-wayne-rooney-most-sought-after-property-man-utd-legend-coaching-break-birmingham-plymouth-nightmares/blt2719d22489165348" target="_blank">Wayne Rooney filling prominent roles at present</a> - while former Lionesses star <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/alex-scott-hugely-hurt-by-bbc-could-quit-football-focus-ex-lionesses-star-considers-moving-to-u-s-jess-glynne/blt97a2520f6349b86c" target="_blank">Alex Scott has made the transition into presenting from the women’s game</a> and is another tied to a contract at the BBC.</p>

WHAT NEXT?

Next Gary Lineker? Match of the Day host names two Premier League stars that could become presenters - as ex-England striker prepares to leave prominent role after 25 years | Goal.com

Gary Lineker is preparing to step down as Match of the Day host, with the ex-England striker naming Premier League stars that could follow his lead.