There were nine minutes to go in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final between England and Argentina. John BarnesA former England football player who now works as a commentator. crossed from the left wing - and there was Gary Lineker, rising above the defenders to head the ball home. Go-o-o-al!

Lineker ended as the competition's top scorer. He would go on to captain his country, making 80 international appearances.

In a second career as a TV presenter, he became the BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is the UK's national broadcaster. 's most highly paid star. He has now said that he will be leaving the BBC after the 2026 World Cup.

The son of a greengrocer, Lineker grew up in LeicesterA city in England's East Midlands region. . At 16 he signed for Leicester City.

Seven years later he made his England debutFirst performance or appearance. . He moved to Everton in 1985 and scored 30 goals in his one season for them.

He was then snapped up by Barcelona before returning to England to play for Tottenham Hotspur. By the end of his career in 1994 he had totalled 286 goals in 541 games. He never received a single yellow or red card.   

At the same time, he was wondering what to do next. Between games at the World Cup he would talk to journalists about how they did their job.

He started broadcasting on Radio 5 Live. He began appearing on Match of the Day as a punditAn expert in a particular subject or field, who is often asked to give their opinions to the public., and in 1999 became its host.

In 2016 he presented the show in his boxer shorts, having declared that he would "do the first MOTD of next season in just my undies" if Leicester City won the Premier League.

He voiced strong political opinions on Twitter. When he was accused of breaking the BBC's code of impartialityEqual treatment of all sides of a debate or argument. , he pointed out that he was not a news presenter.

Last year he was suspended for calling the Rwanda billA proposal by Britain's Conservative government to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. an "immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s". But many shared his view. In the end the BBC had to back down.

Is Gary Lineker a national hero?

Yes: He represents the best of British sporting prowess and sportsmanship. He has spoken out on important issues at the risk of his job, and as well as championing refugeesAnyone fleeing conflict or persecution is defined as a refugee by the UN as a refugee, regardless of where they are from. has taken them into his home.

No: He had no business to use his platform as a sports presenter to promote his political views. An impartial BBC is one of Britain's strongest assets, but Lineker undermined it.  

Or... He is not just a national hero, but an international one. As a high-scoring footballer he won respect across the world. Refugees, wherever they are, have reason to be grateful to him.