Gary Lineker: Bio, Age, Career, Stats, Partner & Net Worth

Gary Lineker has established his place as one of the most knowledgeable and charismatic pundits and presenters in football. Ever since transitioning from a footballer to the iconic host of the ‘BBC Match of the Day’ programme, the Englishman has become a beloved character among fans on football TV programs.

Lineker recently won the Best TV Presenter award at the British National Television Awards, affirming his brilliance as a presenter covering football. Notable for his valuable football opinions and ability to host entertaining interviews, Lineker has excelled in a presentational role since he started dipping his toes into the field.

Gary Lineker Bio

Gary Lineker Family and Early Life

Here, we delve into the Gary Lineker Family. Lineker was born on 30 November 1960. Lineker came from a working-class family as his father, Barry Lineker, was a greengrocer in Leicester and used to run a fruit and vegetable stall in Leicester Market. Gary used to help out his father in the market, too, whenever he could.

As a child, Lineker took part in multiple sports once he started attending the City of Leicester Boys' Grammar School for his education. He took part in both football and cricket activities, even captaining the Leicestershire Schools' cricket team in his pre-teen years. He started playing with Aylestone Park Youth's football team as a youngster, before joining his favourite club, Leicester City, at the age of 17 in 1977.

Gary Lineker Net Worth

The Gary Lineker Net Worth has, obviously, grown in stature over the time period of his association with football. Lineker had a memorable football career, which started off with Leicester City, for whom he played for seven years! Lineker had a short stint at Everton before making a bold move to Barcelona and became the first Englishman to play for them. He would also enjoy a memorable short stint at Tottenham Hotspur in the final stages of his playing career.

However, Gary Lineker net worth has increased mostly during his time working as a football presenter or pundit. He earned a high pay working as the presenter of BBC Match of the Day, and it's therefore been estimated that Gary Lineker net worth in 2025 is around £30 million! That definitely makes him one of the most valuable football presenters around the globe and shows how he manages to stand out from everyone else. Moreover, Lineker has a lucrative sponsorship deal with DAZN for his ‘Rest is Football’ podcast, as well as business ventures including Walkers, his Next Clothing Line business as well as his Goalhanger Films production company, which have helped to increase the Gary Lineker Net Worth.

Gary Lineker Salary

Over his career, the Gary Lineker Salary has increased in terms of prestige and lucrativeness as the Englishman has garnered more and more popularity. It was estimated that Lineker received an impressive £2.8 million salary during his three-year stay at FC Barcelona in the 1980s.

Lineker was also able to negotiate regular increases to his salary as the BBC Match of the Day host, as it was confirmed that the 64-year-old earned just over £1.35 million in his final year as the BBC Match of the Day host.

Gary Lineker Career

Before becoming a notable TV presenter, Gary Lineker enjoyed a highly memorable playing career. He started off his professional career with his beloved career Leicester City and stayed with the club for seven years. He helped the Foxes earn promotion to the first division in 1980, and scored 61 goals in 114 games for them. Lineker had a short stint at Everton, scoring 38 goals in 53 games for them before joining Barcelona in 1986. He made 138 appearances for the La Liga giants, scoring 51 goals and helping them win the European Cup Winners' Cup and Copa Del Rey titles.

Lineker joined Tottenham Hotspur in 1989, and scored 80 goals in 139 games for them, helping them win the FA Cup title. He also had a notable international career with England, scoring 48 goals in 80 appearances for them.

Gary Lineker Wife

Here we look at the Gary Lineker Wife. The Englishman was initially married to his childhood sweetheart, Michelle Cockayne in 1986, and the two share four sons. However, they ended up separating and had a divorce in 2006. Gary Lineker married for the second time in 2009, when he tied the knot to British model Danielle Bux. They were married until January 2016, when they decided to go through a divorce because of Lineker not wanting any more children. Lineker is currently single in 2025 and appears to be living all on his own.

Gary Lineker Awards and Achievements

Over his career, Gary Lineker has won many notable awards. A highly reputed one includes him being awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) award for his achievements in football. He was placed in the English Football Hall of Fame in 2003. Lineker won the 1986 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot and finished third in the 1991 FIFA World Player of the Year tally. He finished as the English football first division top scorer on three occasions.