Gary Lineker’s long run as presenter of Match of the Day will come to an end at the conclusion of this season.
The former England striker has presented the BBC’s flagship football programme for 26 years having taken over from Des Lynam in 1999.
Speculation has already started as to his successor. Here we analyse the candidates with all odds supplied by Betfred and correct as of 1450 on November 12, 2024.
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Alex Scott – 9/4
Former England international Scott has made an impressive transition to presenting after hanging up her boots in 2017. She has fronted several BBC shows, including Football Focus and The One Show and has also stood in for Lineker on MOTD.
Reports suggested last month she was unhappy at criticism of Football Focus’ poor ratings and was considering quitting the UK for the US.
Mark Chapman – 3/1
Arguably the BBC’s top football presenter after Lineker. Having made his name as a sports reporter on Radio 1, he started at Radio 5 Live in 2010. Hugely accomplished broadcaster who presents Match of the Day 2 as well as 5 Live Sport on a Saturday afternoon.
Also works for Sky Sports, fronting their EFL Cup coverage.
Kelly Cates – 8/1
Popular figure who has spent the bulk of her career with Sky Sports and continues to present coverage of the Premier League.
The daughter of former Liverpool player and manager Kenny Dalglish, Cates has a likeable demeanour that would follow on nicely from the laid-back approach of Lineker.
Gabby Logan – 8/1
The 52-year-old started out with the BBC in 2007 and has been a regular on our screens ever since. A mainstay of the Beeb’s coverage of women’s football – including the World Cup – Logan has also fronted the corporation’s coverage of the Olympic Games.
Kate Abdo – 16/1
An outside shot after signing a four-year deal with CBS last year. The 43-year-old has worked for Sky, CNN and Fox but rose to prominence for presenting CBS’s coverage of the Champions League alongside Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards.
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