Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer is one of the BBC's top pundits and will offer his expert analysis throughout England's semi-final against Argentina
Alan Shearer looks on
Alan Shearer will be on commentary duty for England vs Argentina(Image: PA)
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Geordie favourite Alan Shearer will be back on commentary duty for the BBC when England take on Argentina in Wednesday night’s hotly anticipated World Cup semi-final. The Newcastle United legend has become one of the country’s most recognisable football voices and will be providing his expert analysis live from Atalanta as the Three Lions bid to reach a first World Cup final since 1966.
The 55-year-old, who made 63 appearances for England, knows all about the nation’s long-standing rivalry with Argentina. Shearer featured in the infamous last-16 clash in Saint-Etienne at the World Cup in 1998, scoring an equalising penalty in the 9th minute of a match best remembered for Michael Owen’s stunning solo goal and David Beckham’s red card.
The former England captain was also at the centre of controversy after the referee ruled he had fouled Roberto Sensini before Sol Campbell’s dramatic golden-goal winner was controversially chalked out. 28 years on, Shearer will be hoping England fare better against the reigning world champions.
Before kick-off, Chronicle Live takes a closer look at the Magpies’ icon’s life away from the commentary box.
Calling out daughter’s boyfriend
Shearer's eldest daughter, Chloe, is in a relationship with Hartlepool-born Micky Young – a former rugby union scrum-half who played for top clubs including Newcastle Falcons before retiring in 2023. But her father once branded Young an “idiot” after a travel mishap left him stranded hundreds of miles from where he was supposed to be.
“I've got to tell you a quick story about my eldest daughter Chloe and her boyfriend, rugby guy, ex-rugby guy used to play for Newcastle Falcons.” he told The Rest Is Football podcast. “He's been going out with her for a few years now.
Micky Young, Chloe Shearer, Alan Shearer, Lainya Shearer, Will Shearer, Hollie Shearer and her fiancé Ben Marchant at the Alan Shearer Foundation Ball
Hollie Shearer (second from left) is in a relationship with ex-rugby star Micky Young (left)(Image: micky09young/Instagram)
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“He went to the Newcastle game yesterday, and he was meant to get on the 5:59pm train from Newcastle to London to come and watch and support Will [Shearer's son at the London Marathon], as we all were down here. So he got to the train station, and he got there five minutes early and then he got on the train and then 15 minutes on the train he heard the announcement, 'Welcome to everyone who's got on this train to Edinburgh.' And it was non-stop all the way to Edinburgh.
“He had to go all the way to Edinburgh... He got on the f***ing Megabus, the 10pm Megabus, which cost him £30 from Edinburgh to London and he got in at 6.45am this morning into London. So I said to him, 'You are meant to be looking after my f***ing daughter in the future!'”
He added: “Honestly, I said, 'Really?' and he said he stopped at Dunbar, Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield and I said, 'Oh you idiot!'”
BBC pay cut
Shearer remains one of the BBC’s highest-profile pundits but has seen his salary fall sharply, according to the corporation’s annual report. For his work on Match of the Day and live football coverage, Shearer earned between £390,000 and £394,999 during the most recent accounting period (2025/26), down from £440,000-£444,499 the previous year.
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer
Shearer earned more as a BBC pundit last year than former Match of the Day colleague Gary Lineker(Image: The Rest Is Football)
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His pay has fluctuated in recent years, having already dropped to around £380,000 before rising again. Despite the wage cut, Shearer remains among the BBC’s highest-paid stars, ranking sixth on the corporation’s published earnings list.
He even earned more than former colleague Gary Lineker, who received between £325,000 and £329,999 before leaving the BBC in May last year.
Ageless wife
Away from the spotlight, Shearer has been married to Lainya since 1991 after the pair first met during his Southampton playing days. Known for shunning the limelight, Lainya has largely stayed out of the public eye throughout her husband's playing and broadcasting career.
Alan Shearer and wife Lainya Shearer attend The Emeralds And Ivy Ball at Old Billingsgate Market on November 30, 2013 in London, England.
Shearer's wife, Lainya, has largely kept out of the spotlight(Image: Danny Martindale/WireImage)
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BBC television pundit Alan Shearer holds the microphone during the FA Cup Fourth Round match between Shrewsbury Town and Liverpool in 2020
Alan Shearer has become one of the BBC's most high-profile football pundits(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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Even so, fans have often remarked on the 55-year-old's youthful appearance and the striking resemblance she shares with daughters Chloe and Hollie. Shearer has previously revealed that convincing his wife to move north after signing for Blackburn Rovers in 1992 proved far from straightforward.
Lainya was eight months pregnant with their first child, Chloe, when the couple arrived at their new home in Lancashire – and her first impression was far from positive. Recalling the moment on The Rest Is Football, Shearer laughed: "She was eight months pregnant and looked at me in the car and said, 'What the f*** have you done?'"
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