Google Searches for ‘Gary Lineker’ increased by 1,000% in the last 48 hours as news broke of his retirement after 25 years of hosting BBC’s much-loved ‘Match of The Day’. Fans will remember iconic moments —like his underwear episode, the notorious ‘sex noise’ prank, and endless bald jokes with fellow pundits. But, which moment truly tops the list as a fan favourite?
Interested in this, Live Football Tickets analysed YouTube data to uncover the most-viewed moments of his Match of The Day career.
Gary Lineker’s Most Viewed Match of The Day Moments:
Live Football Tickets can reveal that claiming the first position is Lineker’s iconic first episode of the 2016-2017 Match of the Day season—in nothing but his underwear! This unforgettable moment, now with over 1.3 million views on YouTube, was a promise fulfilled after Lineker tweeted he’d host the first episode of the new season “in my undies” if Leicester City won the Premier League. Against all odds, Leicester took the title, and Lineker kept his word, creating one of the show’s most memorable and talked-about moments.
In second place, with 560,572 views, is Lineker’s cheeky moment from August 2019 when he poked fun at his fellow pundits, Danny Murphy and Alan Shearer. Kicking off the episode, he quoted, “It’s a strong start to the Premier League season—real hair-raising stuff… unless you’re Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy.” The camera then cuts to the two bald panellists, sharing an awkward laugh, adding to the hilarity of the moment.
Continuing the bald humour in third place is Lineker roasting fellow pundit Ian Wright’s bald hair, which has racked up 156,763 views. In the August 2019 broadcast, Lineker kicked off with, “Ian Wright and Danny Murphy are here to comb over the highlights,” prompting Wright to laugh. Lineker didn’t stop there, adding, “After brushing Newcastle aside last week, Norwich were hoping to ‘take the scalp’ of Chelsea,” keeping Wright in stitches and viewers entertained.
In fourth place, with 117,799 views, is the viral moment during the FA Cup match between Liverpool and Wolves when a prankster disrupted the live coverage by playing ‘sex noises’ while Lineker was presenting. Laughing it off, Lineker quipped, “It’s toasty in the studio,” “A bit naughty as well,” and added, “I think someone’s set something off on a phone.” Lineker later confirmed his beliefs in a tweet stating that a mobile phone was found behind the set, which was revealed to be a prank orchestrated by YouTube prankster Daniel Jarvis.
In fifth place, with 101,389 YouTube views, is the hilarious moment during the post-match coverage of Arsenal vs. Burnley in 2021 when Lineker, joined by Dion Dublin and Ian Wright, playfully mocked Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette’s dramatic scream after a tackle by Burnley’s Erik Pieters. The trio couldn’t resist poking fun at Lacazette’s reaction, making it a memorable moment for fans watching.
