Gary Lineker once put Erik ten Hag in an awkward position by questioning whether winning the FA Cup would be his crowning achievement at Manchester United. The former Match of the Day presenter celebrates his 65th birthday this Sunday, with supporters continuing to debate the legendary pundit’s possible retirement.
Throughout his career, Lineker has delivered countless memorable moments both as a footballer and as a broadcaster. But one example that particularly resonates is a direct question following Manchester United’s FA Cup victory in 2023. The Red Devils, under Ten Hag, beat Manchester City 2-1 in the final, but Lineker wasted no time in asking the tough questions.
The former Tottenham striker bluntly asked Ten Hag: “Do you think this is your last game?” To which the Dutch manager replied: “I don’t know. For me, this is a project. When I joined, it was a mess, but now things are good.”
This investigation caught viewers off guard and seemed almost prophetic. After United’s FA Cup success, Ten Hag struggled to maintain his form and was replaced by Ruben Amorim in November 2024.
A disappointing league campaign for the Portuguese manager ended with a European promise of a Europa League final, but Lineker’s old club had the final say as Ange Postecoglou lifted the silver medal in a 1-0 win.
Much has changed for Lineker since his unpleasant exchange with Ten Hag. The former Barcelona forward has stepped down from the Match of the Day program after 26 years at the helm.
Lineker now spends most of his time appearing on the podcast The Rest is Football with friends and former footballers Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. The 65-year-old also took the reins of Deportrio, one of the teams in the Bowler League, before bowing out of the six-a-side indoor football tournament before the start of the second season.
But the presenter hasn’t hung up the microphone yet. He signed a deal with ITV to present The Box. The new program is an entertainment series based on celebrity challenges and is being billed as a combination of “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” and “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” And SAS: Who Will Win?
The former England star recently won the Best TV Presenter award at the National Television Awards (NTA) in September, ending Ant and Dec’s 23-year winning streak in the category.
Receiving the award, Lineker reflected on his life after MOTD and said: “I’m doing very well. I had a weekend off for the first time in my adult life and I really enjoyed it.”
“I still watch a lot of football and do a lot of the same stuff, and I have a new show coming up on ITV, The Box, which starts filming next week and will probably air next year.”
