Mark Chapman makes Gary Lineker joke live on-air during England v Argentina coverage

FootballSports
16 Jul 2026 • 4:48 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Mark Chapman makes Gary Lineker joke live on-air during England v Argentina coverage

  • BBC presenter Mark Chapman joked “Gary who?” after pundit Micah Richards made a comment about Gary Lineker during the pre-match coverage of England’s World Cup semi-final clash with Argentina.
  • Richards' comment was prompted by a graphic comparing Jude Bellingham's World Cup goals (seven from 9.4 metres) with Lineker's (ten from 7.3 metres), leading Richards to quip that Lineker was “dropping down the table”.
  • Chapman quickly clarified his “Gary who?” remark as a joke, stating, “Before everybody piles on, joke! Goodness me,” to prevent any misinterpretation.
  • Lineker was not presenting the BBC's World Cup coverage as his contract with the broadcaster ended following the 2024-25 season after a dispute over social media posts.
  • The former England striker had previously apologised for sharing a post containing an antisemitic trope, and has since been hosting his “The Rest is Football” podcast with Richards for Netflix and made a brief appearance on ITV’s coverage earlier in the tournament.

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