There were nine minutes to go in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final in Mexico. With England pressurising the Argentinian penalty area, John BarnesA former England football player who now works as a commentator. made a mesmerising run before crossing from the left wing - and there was star striker Gary Lineker, rising above the defenders to head the ball home. Go-o-o-al!

Lineker had already hit a hat-trick against Poland and two goals against ParaguayA landlocked country in South America with a population of nearly seven million. , and ended as the competition's top scorer. He would go on to captain his country, making 80 international appearances and scoring 48 goals in all.

But Lineker's ambitions did not stop there. In a second career as a TV presenter, he became the BBC's most highly paid star, earning more than £1m a year.

He has now said that he will be leaving the BBC after the 2026 World Cup. Viewers are wondering who could possibly replace the man who has presented its top football programme for 25 years.

Lineker grew up in LeicesterA city in England's East Midlands region. , and as the son of a greengrocer would help out on the family's market stall. By 11 he was such a promising footballer that his parents moved house so that he could go to a soccer-playing school rather than a rugby-playing one.¹

At 16 he signed for Leicester City. Seven years later he made his England debut. He moved to Everton in 1985 and scored 30 goals in his one season for them, including three hat-tricks.

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 also won a reputation for outstanding sportsmanship, never receiving a single yellow or red card.    

At the same time, he was looking ahead to what he would do next. Between games at the World Cup he hung out with journalists: "I would watch the newspaper guys write their opening paragraphs and sit with the radio journalists and talk to them about how they did their job."²

His first attempt at broadcasting - which he describes as "fairly appalling" - was on Radio 5 Live. He started appearing on Match of the Day as a pundit, and in 1999 became its host. In 2016 he famously 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 LeagueEngland's highest level of men's football. .

He courted controversy by voicing 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 and in any case was freelanceSomebody who is not employed by one company but is self-employed and does different pieces of work for different companies. .

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; his fellow presenters sided with him, and when no one would take his place on Match of the Day the BBC had to back down.

He has also shown himself to be an astute businessman, co-founding the company which makes the hugely successful The Rest Is History podcast.

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.