Gary Lineker and Micah Richards only saw eye to eye on Manchester United and England icon Wayne Rooney when it came to one question about the Three Lions.
Wayne Rooney, who is Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer, was part of the so-called ‘Golden Generation’ that failed to lift any major silverware with England.
Despite zero silverware to his name as a Three Lions player, the 40-year-old legendary former United striker did impress with the England national team.
Rooney previously held the feat of being England’s record goalscorer after he eclipsed Sir Bobby Charlton in the goalscoring charts for the Three Lions.
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Wayne Rooney is present before the UEFA Champions League knockout play-off second-leg match between Newcastle United and Qarabag at St James's Park in Newcastle, England, in 2026.
Photo by Scott Llewellyn/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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Gary Lineker and Micah Richards both agree on Wayne Rooney starting for England out of four Three Lions players
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney, who served as England captain, called it time on his playing spell with the Three Lions on the international stage in 2017.
During The Rest Is Football, Gary Lineker asked Micah Richards to choose from four England players, both past and present, by picking the two strikers who would start under him.
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Lineker was among the picks alongside Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Rooney, with the former England and Barcelona striker selecting the Man Utd icon in his two choices.
“Who’s got the best record? Kane’s got the best record for England, hasn’t he? So, stats-wise, you would have to say Kane goes in there,” Richards said.
Lineker responded: “I’d go Kane and Rooney personally.”
Harry Kane, who broke Rooney’s all-time goalscoring record for England, is thought of highly alongside Alan Shearer by former Manchester City defender Richards.
“I love Kane,” Richards added.
“However, I like Al’s [Shearer] era, man. So, Al’s got to be my number nine. Al’s going up front.
“You’ve got to put Al up front, mate, because when I’ve seen Al in an England shirt, there was something just iconic about it.”
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Micah Richards snubs Harry Kane and picks England icon Wayne Rooney as one of his two choices
Richards refused to budge on his admiration for Premier League legend Alan Shearer and stuck with him for his final two picks alongside former United striker Rooney.
“So just behind Alan, I mean, you’ve got to go, I think the Rooney Shearer partnership,” he said.
“Yeah, so I’m going with Alan Shearer and Rooney in behind him. That’s what I’m doing.”
Despite leaving out Shearer in his two picks, Lineker could see why his fellow Rest Is Football co-host would make the final cut of Richards’ picks alongside Rooney.
“Fair enough. I’ve got no problem with that,” he replied.
Former Man Utd captain Rooney netted an impressive 53 times and registered 21 assists in 120 matches for the Three Lions across his England playing career.
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