Gary Lineker once put Erik ten Hag in an awkward position by questioning whether his FA Cup triumph would prove to be his crowning achievement at Manchester United. The ex-Match of the Day presenter marks his 65th birthday this Sunday as supporters continue to discuss the legendary pundit's potential retirement.
Throughout his career, Lineker has delivered countless memorable moments, both as a footballer and broadcaster. Yet one instance that particularly resonates is his direct line of questioning after Manchester United's FA Cup victory in 2023. The Red Devils beat Manchester City 2-1 in the final under Ten Hag's management, and Lineker wasted no time in posing the difficult questions.
The ex-Tottenham striker bluntly asked Ten Hag: "Do you think this was your last game?" to which the Dutch manager replied: "I don't know. For me, this is a project. When I came in, we were a mess; now we are in a better state."
The enquiry caught viewers off guard and appeared almost prophetic. Following United's FA Cup success, Ten Hag struggled to maintain positive momentum and was replaced by Ruben Amorim in November 2024.
A disappointing league campaign for the Portuguese boss concluded with some European promise in the shape of the Europa League final, but Lineker's former club had the final say as Ange Postecoglou lifted the silverware following a 1-0 victory.
Much has changed for Lineker, too, since that uncomfortable exchange with Ten Hag. The former Barcelona forward stepped down from Match of the Day, a programme he had fronted for 26 years.
Lineker now spends the majority of his time featuring on The Rest is Football podcast with mates and former footballers Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. The 65-year-old also took the reins of one of the teams in Baller League, Deportrio, before stepping down from the six-a-side indoor football tournament prior to the beginning of the second season.
However, the presenter hasn't hung up his microphone just yet; he has signed a deal with ITV to present The Box. This new programme is a celebrity challenge-based entertainment series, touted as a blend between I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and SAS: Who Dares Wins.
The ex-England star recently won the Best TV Presenter award at the National Television Awards (NTAs) in September, bringing Ant and Dec's 23-year winning run in the category to an end.
Reflecting on his life after MOTD upon receiving the award, Lineker said: "I'm doing great. I'm enjoying having weekends off for the first time in my adult life, which has been great fun.
"I'm still watching loads of football, still doing the same sort of things, and I've got a new show coming up for ITV, which I start filming next week - The Box, which goes out, I think, probably next year."