'We all want to be Steve McQueen': Gary Lineker on his MotD style, baggy jeans and who will win the league
If you were to ask anyone interested in fashion to name a stylish men's footballer in 2023, they could – depending on their generation – name Héctor Bellerín, Dominic Calvert-Lewin or David Beckham. But for most men watching Match of the Day on a Saturday night, that would probably be Gary Lineker. The former footballer and host of the highlights show for nearly 25 years is a style icon for millions, whether he's wearing a crisp shirt and Clark Kent glasses on the pundits couch or Blundstone boots on a walk with his dog, Filbert.
Lineker has, of course, been making headlines for more than just his style lately. Thanks to his tweet criticizing the government's asylum policy, he was suspended by the BBC. With Alan Shearer and Ian Wright boycotting the show in solidarity, Match of the Day aired without any presenters on March 11. Now back on the couch, Lineker can settle into less controversial territory — like working on a clothing edit for Next. Here he discusses his outfit choices over the years, Match of the Day wardrobe policies, this tweet and who will win the Premier League.
Do you think you've become a style icon for a certain type of guy?
I would never say that about myself. I have always been interested in clothes and fashion. I'm looking at pictures and I'm like, "What the hell were we thinking? But I might even think that [what I'm wearing today] 20 years from now, if I'm still alive. However, most footballers are fashionable. We are a metrosexual lot. Look at the players or the people I work with – Ian Wright likes his clothes, Micah Richards likes the clothes. I would never describe myself as an icon, but I'm so glad you asked.
Are there any outfits you regret?
When you have long been a player in the public eye, there are quite a few. There is one in particular during the 1990 World Cup. It was the last week. We got to the semi-finals and lost. I stayed with Bobby Robson to receive the Fifa fair play award. I was wearing this super garish suit, like a Versace number, so not me. That's the thing with fashion – you look back on things, some of the sweaters [we wore]. There was also a shoot from when I was in Barcelona, when I was in cycling gear. It's pretty easy to find [on the internet].
Do you think it's more acceptable as a gamer to be more fashionable now?
These are young people who have decent money and can afford to spend themselves. It has always been true that people dress to care about how they look; footballers are vain. There was George Best, Bobby Moore. Now you have people like Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is quite weird, Héctor Bellerín, James Maddison. It's not what I would wear but I'm 40 years older than some of these players. You have to give it some thought as you get older.
If you were to ask anyone interested in fashion to name a stylish men's footballer in 2023, they could – depending on their generation – name Héctor Bellerín, Dominic Calvert-Lewin or David Beckham. But for most men watching Match of the Day on a Saturday night, that would probably be Gary Lineker. The former footballer and host of the highlights show for nearly 25 years is a style icon for millions, whether he's wearing a crisp shirt and Clark Kent glasses on the pundits couch or Blundstone boots on a walk with his dog, Filbert.
Lineker has, of course, been making headlines for more than just his style lately. Thanks to his tweet criticizing the government's asylum policy, he was suspended by the BBC. With Alan Shearer and Ian Wright boycotting the show in solidarity, Match of the Day aired without any presenters on March 11. Now back on the couch, Lineker can settle into less controversial territory — like working on a clothing edit for Next. Here he discusses his outfit choices over the years, Match of the Day wardrobe policies, this tweet and who will win the Premier League.
Do you think you've become a style icon for a certain type of guy?
I would never say that about myself. I have always been interested in clothes and fashion. I'm looking at pictures and I'm like, "What the hell were we thinking? But I might even think that [what I'm wearing today] 20 years from now, if I'm still alive. However, most footballers are fashionable. We are a metrosexual lot. Look at the players or the people I work with – Ian Wright likes his clothes, Micah Richards likes the clothes. I would never describe myself as an icon, but I'm so glad you asked.
Are there any outfits you regret?
When you have long been a player in the public eye, there are quite a few. There is one in particular during the 1990 World Cup. It was the last week. We got to the semi-finals and lost. I stayed with Bobby Robson to receive the Fifa fair play award. I was wearing this super garish suit, like a Versace number, so not me. That's the thing with fashion – you look back on things, some of the sweaters [we wore]. There was also a shoot from when I was in Barcelona, when I was in cycling gear. It's pretty easy to find [on the internet].
Do you think it's more acceptable as a gamer to be more fashionable now?
These are young people who have decent money and can afford to spend themselves. It has always been true that people dress to care about how they look; footballers are vain. There was George Best, Bobby Moore. Now you have people like Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is quite weird, Héctor Bellerín, James Maddison. It's not what I would wear but I'm 40 years older than some of these players. You have to give it some thought as you get older.
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