Gary Lineker made a return to television on Saturday night, stepping back onto free-to-air TV and beginning his new role at ITV with a light-hearted introduction as a presenter.
After hosting BBC’s Match of the Day for 26 years and departing last May, Lineker was named as a pundit for ITV ahead of the Group E World Cup match featuring Germany vs. Ivory Coast.
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Lineker opened his ITV stint with a humorous moment as he began presenting before being playfully interrupted by Laura Woods.
Gary Lineker made an appearance on ITV during the World Cup (ITV)
“Thank you for joining us on ITV tonight. Another day, another match, another channel,” Lineker opened, before Woods chimed in jokingly.
“Gary, that’s my role!” Woods responded.
Lineker humorously admitted, “Sorry, old habits die hard!”
Looking ahead, Lineker is set to host the ITV game show The Box later in the year and couldn’t resist a playful jab at his former employers at the BBC, particularly as they faced criticism for not being based in the U.S. during the World Cup—unlike ITV’s vibrant set in New York.
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Lineker commented, “I’ve been doing a daily show for Netflix in Times Square, but I desperately wanted to see your studio—it’s truly stunning. I can confirm it’s the real deal!”
ITV then reflected on Lineker’s World Cup journey before shifting focus to the match between Germany and Ivory Coast. The former England forward reminisced about winning the golden boot in 1986 and his involvement in the infamous ‘Hand of God’ match against Argentina—where Diego Maradona scored his iconic goal.
Lineker also discussed Harry Kane equaling his World Cup scoring record of 10 goals after the current England captain netted twice against Croatia.
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“I’m not a violent person, but I definitely kicked the door down! All jokes aside, I’m really happy for Harry. It took him another World Cup to reach it, and true, a good portion of those were penalties, but he deserves it,” Lineker said with a grin.
“That’s true, he’s played fewer minutes. But honestly, Harry is a far better all-round number nine than I ever was. I was mainly a penalty box player, while Harry can do it all—he drops back, his passing is exceptional, and he is undoubtedly our best number nine.”
Lineker is also hosting Rest is Football on Netflix (Seb Barros)
The light-hearted atmosphere of Lineker’s appearance continued as Woods handed over to him to lead into a break; he made sure to commend his co-host for the “fabulous job” she was doing before the show pivoted back to the World Cup coverage.