After 26 years of rounding up weekend upon weekend of Premier League football, Gary Lineker has named his favourite 11 players he has seen in the division.
Lineker will host his last Match of the Day show after the final day of the 2024-25 season on Sunday, and will depart the BBC after he caused an antisemitism row earlier this month.
The former England striker will not front the public broadcaster’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup or the FA Cup next season.
And with the end in sight, Lineker could not help but reminisce on which players have brought him the most joy while hosting Match of the Day for over two-and-a-half decades.
He named 11 of the Premier League’s most iconic players, as well as a further 10 included as honourable mentions.
Having been born in the East Midlands city, Lineker, 64, is a huge Leicester fan, meaning it was only fitting that Jamie Vardy was named first on his list of favourite players.
Gary Lineker named his 11 favourite Premier League players ahead of his final Match of the Day
The 64-year-old will leave the BBC after Sunday’s show, ending a 26-year stay at the company
Lineker’s exit was announced this month after an antisemitism controversy, meaning he will not cover the 2026 World Cup and next season’s FA Cup as he previously planned to
Another beloved Foxes icon that made the cut was Riyad Mahrez, who played a vital role in helping Leicester to their sensational Premier League success in 2016, and was also a key piece in Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Manchester City side either side of 2020.
Fellow City hero Kevin De Bruyne was also mentioned; the departing midfield star is the most prolific assister in Premier League history.
On the opposite side of Manchester, Wayne Rooney was the only Red Devils player to be included in Lineker’s list. Astonishingly, there was no room for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs or Eric Cantona.
Next up was Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, whom Lineker argued ‘could do everything in midfield’.
The only Chelsea player to make it in was Eden Hazard. Lineker revealed that he once bumped into the former Blues winger and told him he was his ‘hero’.
Alan Shearer – a fellow pundit and close friend of Lineker – was a shoo-in. The former Newcastle striker is the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer.
Lineker may also have sentimental ties to the next two players he included – Harry Kane and Gareth Bale – both former Tottenham players. Lineker scored 80 goals for Spurs between 1989 and 1992.
Capping off the list of 11 is Arsenal legend Thierry Henry and the 2024-25 Premier League Player of the Season, Mohamed Salah.
As a huge Leicester fan, Lineker included departing Foxes legend Jamie Vardy first in his list
Lineker surprisingly did not include Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo in his list
Lineker will be joined by Alan Shearer and Micah Richards for his final Match of the Day show
As for the 10 players named as honourable mentions, Lineker included: Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira, N’Golo Kante, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, David Silva and David Beckham.
Lineker’s last Match of the Day show will see him cover 10 Premier League fixtures, as all 20 of the division’s teams suit up for the final day of the season.
Mail Online reported this week that, despite the controversial nature of Lineker’s exit, the BBC still plan to give the veteran presenter a fulsome send-off on Sunday.
An emotional montage will reportedly be played on the show, which will include messages from famous players, managers and colleagues, who will all come together to pay tribute to Lineker’s career.
And in true sporting fashion, he may also be given a Match of the Day cap – similar to the one that was presented to pundit Ian Wright last year – to mark his time on the football review programme.
Lineker will be joined on tomorrow’s show by close pals and pundits Shearer and Micah Richards, with whom he hosts the popular The Rest is Football podcast.
