Arne Slot delivered a heartfelt tribute to Gary Lineker on the ex-England striker's final Match of the Day broadcast for the BBC. The Liverpool boss shared his sentiments during a one-on-one interview with Lineker following the Reds' Premier League triumph.
Lineker faced backlash after posting content supporting Palestine on Instagram, sparking allegations of antisemitism due to the use of imagery historically associated with antisemitic propaganda. The controversial post featuring a rat was quickly removed by Lineker, and he has apologized.
Kicking off his last MOTD episode, Lineker quipped: "It wasn't meant to end this way," before touching on the league's title contention and relegation scrap. However, amid the bittersweet farewell, Slot took a moment to express gratitude towards Lineker for his years of broadcasting service.
In Sunday evening's programme, the former Feyenoord head coach said: "Thank you for now and thank you for being such a great presenter of a BBC show that I watched many times when I lived in Holland.
"I would've liked to give you a Liverpool shirt instead of all the other teams you played for."
Earlier in the month, Lineker made public his decision to leave BBC, stating: "Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember — both on the pitch and in the studio.
Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker wiped away tears after tributes were shown at the end of his final MOTD show (Image: BBC)
"I care deeply about the game, and about the work I've done with the BBC over many years. As I've said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic — it goes against everything I stand for.
"However, I recognize the error and the upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action."
The BBC's Director-General, Tim Davie, added: "Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season. Gary has been a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades.
"His passion and knowledge have shaped our sports journalism and earned him the respect of sports fans across the UK and beyond. We want to thank him for the contribution he has made."
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Lineker met Slot earlier in the season when the pair played padel together as part of an interview. And he opened up on what he learned about the Liverpool boss in that session a few days later.
"Assuredness, a confidence, you can see how organized he is, how he understands the game really well tactically," Lineker said on the Rest Is Football podcast. "The calmness as well, I thought, was interesting because a lot of coaches are kind of energetic, and you don’t see that from him.
"But what struck me the most about being inside the training ground was the culture and the way everybody was. You would expect this when things are going really well, but there was a real kind of joy about the place, a bit of camaraderie.
"All of the players came down to say hello, or most of them. They’ve got a really good culture there and that’s one of the great testaments — and Slot said this himself — to Jurgen Klopp and what he left behind there. But I think what comes across most about Slot is his absolute love for the game and the tactical side of the game."