There were nine minutes to go in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final between England and ArgentinaThe second-largest country in South America. It has a population of nearly 46 million. . Go-o-o-al! Gary Lineker had scored.

Lineker went on to captain his country. 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. . 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 thinking about what to do next. Between games at the World Cup he would talk to journalistsPeople whose job it is to report on the news. about how they did their job.

After leaving football 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.

He liked to talk about his opinions on politics on Twitter, especially on topics such as refugeesAnyone fleeing conflict or persecution is defined as a refugee by the UN as a refugee, regardless of where they are from.. Some said this was wrong, as BBC presenters should not take sides on political issues. But he points out that he is in sports, not news.

Is Gary Lineker a national hero?

Yes! He is the best of British sports and public life. He has spoken out on important issues and is one of the most well-known faces across the country.

No! He should not have shared his political views while he was doing work for the BBC. The BBC is strong because it does not take sides - and Gary Lineker put this at risk.