Gary Lineker has given his verdict on the first Match of the Day since his departure – and made a thinly veiled dig at BBC Sport chief Alex Kay-Jelski.

Lineker, 64, departed the iconic show at the end of last season after 26 years at its helm, with Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates replacing him as a cast of rotating hosts.

Lineker, who was the longest serving host in the show’s history and was the BBC’s highest paid presenter on £1.35million a year, presented for the final time in May after announcing his decision to step down in November 2024.

Despite planning to front the BBC’s live coverage of the 2025-26 FA Cup and the 2026 World Cup, he departed early after sharing a post about Zionism featuring a depiction of a rat on social media, which has anti-Semitic connotations. Lineker apologised but said it was ‘best for all concerned’ if he left completely.

Chapman took the reins for the first episode of the new season and Lineker joined several other viewers in being impressed, before he aimed a dig at Kay-Jelski, who was said to have a big role in the former striker’s departure.

‘I mean, I must say I enjoyed it,’ he told The Rest is Football podcast. ‘I went out for dinner then I came home and I got in in time to watch it.

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Gary Lineker has given his verdict on the first Match of the Day since his departure

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Lineker shared photos of himself watching the show on Saturday night from the sofa

‘I thought it was really good. Chappers did a great job.

‘And despite all… there was a lot of talk that they were going to change things. And I think you know what it’s like when you get a new guy in as new head of sport thinking he wants to do this, wants to do that.

‘But in the end, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And I think that was very much the sensible decision and I thought the programme was great.’

Lineker’s co-host Alan Shearer, who was a pundit on the first episode of the new campaign, then pressed him on how he felt watching from outside the studio on Saturday night.

‘It wasn’t weird really,’ Lineker replied, having posted photos of himself watching the show from the sofa.

‘I was quite relaxed. I was thinking I haven’t got a three-and-a-half hour journey at the end of the show, but no, I really enjoyed watching it.

‘I think that’s the first time that I’ve watched Match of the Day on a Saturday night for… I don’t know how many years.

‘I don’t know how many years because the only time I ever missed the show was if I’d get the odd Saturday off to take a holiday so I’d go somewhere.

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Lineker also aimed a thinly veiled dig at BBC Sport chief Alex Kay-Jelski in regards to the show

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Mark Chapman hosted the first episode this season alongside Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney

‘So it’s been so long since I watched it and it’s a bloody good show, Match of the Day… it really is.’

Lineker also gave his thoughts on Wayne Rooney’s debut as a pundit after the former Man United striker signed a £800,000-a-year deal to regularly appear on the show this season, while he also praised his colleague Shearer.

Rooney had been criticised by some fans, although others enjoyed listening to a fresh voice on the show.

‘I thought the the programme was great,’ Lineker added. ‘I thought Wayne Rooney did really well as well as yourself Alan, some good analysis in there.

‘It was so nice watching it holding a glass of wine.’