Arne Slot paid tribute to Gary Lineker on the Match of the Day presenter's final broadcast after Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions
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Arne Slot being interviewed on Match of the Day
Arne Slot congratulated Gary Lineker on Match of the Day
Arne Slot paid a heartfelt tribute to Gary Lineker for his 25-year tenure as the face of Match of the Day after Liverpool clinched the Premier League title. Interviewed by Lineker at Anfield, Slot took the opportunity to commend the presenter, who has now left the popular highlights show.
Liverpool wrapped up their 2024/25 campaign with a 1-1 stalemate against FA Cup victors Crystal Palace on Sunday. Mohamed Salah's finish neutralised Ismaila Sarr's earlier goal in a celebratory atmosphere at Anfield, in which both teams greeted their opponents with a guard of honour.
The Reds finally lifted the Premier League trophy that they had secured on April 27 following a resounding 5-1 victory over Tottenham. Post-match, the Liverpool boss connected with Lineker via video from the Match of the Day studio.
After Slot had discussed his successful first season in England and upcoming summer plans, Lineker was about to finish the interview when the Liverpool boss shifted the focus to the host, explaining what Lineker's stint on the show had meant to him on a personal level. "Thanks very much for talking to us and congratulations," Lineker said.
Slot replied: "Thank you for now and thank you for being such a great presenter of a BBC show that I've watched many times when I lived in Holland and now still. It's great what you did. I'd have liked to give you a Liverpool shirt, instead of the other club that you played for." Lineker responded: "Arne, thank you, I appreciate that." Slot then concluded: "You're welcome, all the best."
Gary Lineker and Arne Slot
Arne Slot spoke to Gary Lineker on Match of the Day
The broadcast on Sunday night was filled with tributes to Lineker. The 64-year-old presenter received a commemorative cap from analysts Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, in addition to a Golden Boot honouring his contributions to the programme.
After presenting the gifts, Shearer took to social media to express his gratitude: "It has been an honour to share the MOTD studio with you @GaryLineker. THANK YOU for everything over the years. You are an outstanding broadcaster and manage to make a difficult job look easy. You're a great friend and we will miss you on the studio floor. Thank you."
During his opening comments for Manchester City's 2-0 victory against Fulham, commentator Mark Scott also marked the occasion: "One of the best in the business makes his final appearance in front of the Match of the Day cameras, and you could say the same of Kevin De Bruyne," he said.
Gary Lineker reacting to Arne Slot's words
Gary Lineker smiled at Arne Slot's message(Image: BBC)
Lineker, visibly moved, used his closing remarks to express gratitude: "Let me take this opportunity to thank all of the other pundits that I've had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years, you've made my job so much easier," he said.
"Also, a huge thank you to those you don't see at home: the work that goes into making this iconic show is a huge team effort. From the editors, to the analysis team, from the commentators to the floor managers, from the producers to the camera operators, from the PAs to the subs, thank you all, you're the very best.
"Rather like my football career, everyone else did all the hard work and I got the plaudits. It's been an absolute privilege to host Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It's been utterly joyous."
The final Match of the Day of the season marks the end of Lineker's time as a BBC presenter. Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates, and Mark Chapman will share Match of the Day hosting duties from the 2025/26 campaign.