Andoni Iraola’s appointment as Liverpool boss has opened the door for the Reds to make a move for Bournemouth’s Brazil international Rayan – but not until January at the earliest.
The i Paper understands that Iraola is a “huge fan” of Rayan, who made a stunning start to his Premier League career with five goals in his first 15 matches. With Liverpool looking to shake up their attacking options in the wake of Mo Salah’s departure he was already on the club’s radar before the decision to appoint Iraola. That is likely to be firmed up now he is in charge.
The key positions Liverpool are targeting
Liverpool are in talks with RB Leipzig over their coveted forward Yan Diomande but the 19-year-old is valued at around £120m by the Bundesliga club. The Ivory Coast international is understood to be keen on the move – and the prospect of becoming Salah’s heir – but there would need to be movement on the price before the transfer can move forward.
Diomande is a long-term target (Photo: Getty)
The general feeling among recruitment executives is that this summer’s market will not reach the heights of last year, when Liverpool’s huge recruitment drive was reflective of unprecedented demand for forwards. The Reds want to add players and are also in the market for a right-back and midfielder.
Iraola has been appointed as head coach rather than manager of Liverpool and the title is probably a fair reflection of someone who, during his time at Bournemouth, was happy to work collaboratively on recruitment.
‘He’ll get the best out of what he has’
Liverpool’s transfer plans for this summer are already in motion and Iraola’s appointment will not require a drastic change of direction.
“Andoni is someone who is not obsessed with transfers or always asking for this or that – he’s a manager who likes to coach and get the best out of what he has,” one source who has worked with him told The i Paper.
The i Paper understands that Bournemouth are fairly relaxed at the prospect of Iraola encouraging a raid of his former club.
Iraola was one of the driving forces behind moves to bring Rayan and Adrien Truffert to his former club, but Liverpool already have Milos Kerkez and the Brazil forward is happy to stay at Bournemouth this summer.
He has a release clause that activates in January but it is a whopping £130m before it lowers in value in each subsequent transfer window. There’s an expectation that he will stay.
As previously reported by The i Paper there is also an expectation that Eli Junior Kroupi will stay on the South Coast this summer. Bournemouth do acknowledge that the player – who is also a target for Arsenal and Manchester City – is a “special case”.
He has no release clause and his price tag would be “well in excess” of £100m if anyone were ready to test the market. His future may depend on whether Kroupi or his representatives push to move – something that they haven’t done yet – and then it would be up to his suitors to meet Bournemouth’s huge asking price.
But at this stage the Cherries are not expecting a flood of departures, with Alex Scott and Tyler Adams also expected to stay at a club that has the luxury of European football next term.
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There will be no shortage of kits on show at the World Cup this summer with 48 nations competing in North America.
That makes for 48 home kits, 48 away, and don’t get forget those teams with a third kit as well. Not to mention the goalkeeper jerseys.
But which nation has the best kit at the World Cup? Let’s take a look at the top 13. And no, I haven’t been paid by adidas to make this list – they’ve just played an absolute blinder…
13. Mexico home
In at 13 are co-hosts Mexico, who should open the World Cup with this belter of a home kit when taking on South Africa on 11 June.
The Mexico home kit is in at 13 (Photo: Getty)
12. South Africa away
Speaking of Bafana Bafana, this is a beauty of a kit and the start of where you realise I have a soft spot for the adidas Trefoil.
South Africa’s away kit is a beauty (Photo: Getty)
11. England away
It is a safe choice from England but the red is deeper than normal, and when combined with the central badge and Nike logo it makes for a clean look. It is difficult to make out but the subtle pattern makes the whole shirt a play on the Three Lions badge.
England in red, just like that year they won the thing (Photo: Getty)
10. Brazil home
Why sure it’s basically the England home kit but yellow and green instead, but that’s what makes it better, and there are few more iconic sights at the World Cup than Brazil in their home kit playing some ludicrous football that only sometimes pays off.
The yellow of Brazil is about as iconic as it gets (Photo: Getty)
9. France home
The white collar and two-tone blue will look great when France maybe/probably lift the World Cup trophy on 19 July.
The winning kit in a different sense (Photo: Getty)
8. South Korea away
Some may argue this should be higher. It’s bold, it’s violet, and in classic kit jargon speak the floral pattern evokes South Korea’s ability to combine beauty with aggression. Apparently.
It’s a strong look from South Korea (Photo: Getty)
7. Scotland away
Oh she is a belter, different from the rest. Not my words, but Gerry Cinnamon’s.
It’s a win with John McGinn (Photo: Getty)
6. USA home
Fair play. It is easy to trash talk the co-hosts but the home kit is nothing but net. A slam dunk from Nike. A home run. A touchdown. A, er, great football goal.
O say can you see… a very good kit (Photo: Getty)
5. Spain away
We are now getting into very, very good territory. The trim is glorious and the floral off-white look has meant I’ve bumped this up each time I’ve looked at it. Sorry to Scotland and USA.
Spain away gets better with every glance (Photo: Getty)
4. Norway home
The kit is the flag. And it is brilliant. That is all. Next.
Erling Haaland in the home Norway kit (Photo: Getty)
3. Germany home
The best-placed home kit in this list has to go to Germany. It is a nod to past kits but expertly executed. That’s how to use your flag colours to perfection.
U21 star Arijon Ibrahimovic sports the Germany home kit (Photo: Getty)
2. Japan away
It’s just blummin’ marvellous. The contrast of the black trims, Trefoil, badge and number against the coloured pinstripes. Shut up and take my money.
Japan’s away kit comes in second (Photo: Getty)
1. Curacao away
It had to be. In their first World Cup, Curacao have an away kit for the ages. Expect to see it worn at that hipster bar near you, and if adidas are reading, in the post on the way to my house. I’m a large, thanks. DM me. Seriously. Please.
The Curacao kit is just yes please (Photo: adidas)
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Everton are aiming to hit the ground running in a pivotal transfer window which may require player trading to land their ambitious targets.
Football finance experts believe that new squad cost ratio (SCR) rules mean the Toffees are looking at a net spend of around £50m in the second of a two-summer plan to overhaul their squad and establish themselves as one of the best of the rest in the Premier League.
Insiders acknowledge that target, which would see Everton muscling into the territory of Aston Villa and Newcastle United as a club with aspirations of breaking into the Champions League, will require aggressive work after a quiet January that ultimately caught up on them as the season tailed off alarmingly.
The club’s recruitment set-up sees a transfer committee work alongside manager David Moyes to identify and sign players.
It is a fascinating dynamic as targets are settled on by Moyes – who is keen to sign a sprinkling of oven-ready top flight performers – and a team of data and recruitment experts, overseen by highly-rated technical director Nick Cox.
A mix of experienced and up-and-coming players is the likely direction of travel although Moyes has stressed the need for new signings who can challenge immediately for his starting XI.
Hackney could be set for a summer departure in the coming months (Photo: Getty)
Compromises may be required, though, and there is firm alignment on their priority target Hayden Hackney, who was on Everton’s radar before the Friedkin Group takeover.
The Toffees ideally want to broker a quick deal for highly-rated Middlesbrough midfielder Hackney, who has indicated that he is keen on a switch to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
But The i Paper understands that Boro are in no rush to cash in on their star asset, who has 12 months left on his contract, and will stand their ground if their valuation isn’t met.
With interest from Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leeds United – and Michael Carrick pushing Manchester United to move for a player he believes would be an ideal “project signing” – there is little chance of him being sold on the cheap.
Boro are regarded in football circles as exceptionally savvy negotiators and news of Everton’s interest emerging this week is unlikely to push them into a deal.
The Toffees would be aiming for around the £15m mark but the Teessiders value him much closer to the £20-25m bracket and would seek a sizeable sell-on fee to mirror the 20 per cent clause that was included in Morgan Rogers’ move to Aston Villa.
In recruitment circles there is a real buzz about Hackney, with one figure telling The i Paper there is a route into the England team for him in the next couple of years. He was likened to Elliot Anderson by one experienced talent spotter.
As of yet, there have been no direct club-to-club talks, but there seems to be a degree of confidence on Merseyside that they will be able to pull it off. It appeals to Hackney that he would join an ambitious club where he is almost certain to play.
Might Everton have to sell too?
Tim Iroegbunam has attracted the interest of several Premier League clubs (Photo: Getty)
What is fascinating is how Everton work around new SCR rules, which limit football spending to 85 per cent of their revenue.
While the move to their stunning new stadium – and a raft of new commercial partners – has given revenue a huge boost, they missed out on European football after a dire end to last season.
That could lead the club to go down the player-trading route and The i Paper understands there is firm interest from Premier League clubs in midfielder Tim Iroegbunam, including from newly promoted Ipswich Town.
Moyes is a big fan but sales may be required if Everton are to land the four or five new recruits they want to reshape their squad.
“The reality for Everton is they’ll likely be close to the 85 per cent limit given their squad value and wages,” explains Professor Rob Wilson, a football finance expert and programme director at the University Campus of Football Business.
“The headroom will be around £30-40m at a maximum. Because they’re not in Europe the value of the squad will reduce ever so slightly, which helps them. I would expect them to sell one or maybe even two of their assets and possibly do some trading on top of that.
“I’d expect them to do a net spend of £40-50m. It’s tight but not an insurmountable challenge for them.”
What about Jack Grealish?
The headroom would help them land the right-back and winger the club are prioritising, alongside bringing Jack Grealish back to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
There will be talks with Manchester City over a second loan to take him to the end of his Etihad deal, with incoming boss Enzo Maresca unlikely to stand in the way of his exit.
Sweden right-back Emil Holm was discussed in January but it remains to be seen whether Everton return to the Juventus defender, who had to pull out of the World Cup with a muscle injury.
Acclimatisation has been the England buzzword and neatly covers Saturday’s opening fixture against New Zealand. The steamy environment in Florida is intended to get England gently up to speed, as are New Zealand following a heavy defeat to Haiti on Wednesday.
For this mock exam Thomas Tuchel is without Arsenal’s English champions Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke delaying their arrival until the weekend. So expect some shuffling and a raft of substitutions in Tampa.
This period is ultimately about refinement, identifying who gets the nod in the few contested positions remaining, left wing, centre back and the No 10 spot. If the squad numbers are revealing, Marcus Rashford, 11, trumps Anthony Gordon, 18, on the left, an ironic twist to Barcelona’s recent market moves.
By the same token, the award of the No 5 shirt to John Stones would appear to be bad news for Ezri Konsa were it not for the No 2 jersey passing to the Aston Villa defender. Does this mean No 24 Reece James starts on the bench? Maybe the numbers game is a Tuchell red herring to blur the lines for any spies operating in the vicinity of West Palm Beach.
Konsa’s Villa teammate Morgan Rogers would be equally relieved were this the case since he will wear No 14. The prized No 10 is on the back of Jude Bellingham. Only one of Rogers and Bellingham will start against Croatia in Texas.
The centre of things
Kobbie Mainoo was included in the squad after a red hot run of form (Photo: Getty)
The absence of Rice on Saturday brings Kobbie Mainoo into view. Mainoo did not shine as a substitute against Uruguay in March and disappointed as a starter in the succeeding defeat to Japan. Against that, he excelled for Manchester United and learned to a degree from the defensive errors against Japan by improving his positioning.
Required to cover more ground when paired with the slow-moving Casemiro, Mainoo was less of a defensive liability in the run-in, which, coupled with his nimble talent for taking the ball in small spaces and breaking explosively, edged out Adam Wharton and James Garner.
With Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, part of a five-man temporary training unit, expected to feature at some point in the friendlies, expect the middle of the park to have an experimental feel.
Fronting up up front
Alex Scott is expected to win his first cap against New Zealand (Photo: Getty)
The same could be said of the attack. No Saka or Madueke means both Rashford and Gordon could start on the wings, or share duties with reserve squad members Rio Ngumoha and Ethan Nwaneri.
Rashford had a B+ season at Barcelona, enjoying some moments while operating largely as back-up to the more reliable Rafinha. The goals he scored at Newcastle in the Champions League group stage and in the recent Clasico were typical examples of good Rashford. Bad Rashford, however, is equally familiar, trying that bit too hard, over running the ball, hitting the wall.
Gordon is less spectacular but has greater consistency. His principal problem is a reluctance to trust his left foot. This means he can be easier to defend against on the left, pushed sideways or backwards instead of attacking the byline.
The lack of penetration down the left is a problem that might ultimately be solved by Eze. For now Rashford is arguably ahead of the man who bounced him at Barca after what was a rather muted season at Newcastle.
Baller or battler at the back?
John Stones has not played 90 minutes of club football since August 2025 (Photo: Getty)
A fit John Stones picks himself. His reading of the game and his capacity for carrying the ball into midfield make him an exemplar of the ball-playing centre-half not traditionally associated with England.
Given his brittle frame, Tuchel will be mindful of over-using Stones. Conversely, his lack of game-time hitherto demands time alongside Marc Guehi, which means deploying Konsa at right-back on Saturday or the bench.
And finally…
Bellingham or Rogers? The former has the higher peak, the latter greater efficiency embellished by lightening bolts. Rogers’ work rate and goal threat are hard to ignore and fit perfectly the Tuchel aesthetic.
Bellingham is the soloist, equally powerful and dextrous. But can he take instruction, sacrifice himself for the team? The friendlies in Florida are arguably more crucial for him than any in the squad.
My England XI to face New Zealand (4-2-1-3): Pickford, James, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly, Anderson, Mainoo, Bellingham, Rashford, Kane, Gordon
If there is a supposed advantage to Liverpool’s sporting director-head coach model, it is that a change in the latter position should not drastically affect long-standing transfer plans.
Back when Jurgen Klopp was at the helm in the role of “manager”, he wielded far greater influence over comings and goings at Anfield than those around him.
However, the appointment of Arne Slot back in 2024 marked a shift to a way of working long favoured by owners Fenway Sports Group.
And so, despite the Dutchman’s contract being terminated earlier this week and talks being opened with Andoni Iraola to replace him, this summer is likely to go largely as previously planned.
Who could leave?
Stefan Bajcetic has seen his career derailed by injuries (Photo: Getty)
Another summer of major change is coming to Anfield, as evidenced by the already-confirmed departures of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate.
Federico Chiesa is set to join them after a largely disappointing spell at the club, while it is thought this could be the year that Joe Gomez finally departs amid links to Aston Villa.
Curtis Jones is attracting interest from Inter Milan and showed a willingness to make that move in January before Liverpool shut the door.
Fellow midfielder Stefan Bajcetic will either head out on a loan or make a permanent move after an injury-hit few years, and the fact that no contract talks are planned with Alexis Mac Allister proves he is not considered untouchable with teams in Spain thought to be keen.
Who could stay?
Harvey Elliott endured a frustrating loan spell at Aston Villa (Photo: Getty)
Liverpool want continuity in the goalkeeping department, and have informed Juventus-linked Alisson Becker that they would prefer him to stay.
Kostas Tsimikas is also likely to be retained to replace Robertson as back-up left-back following his return from a loan stint at AS Roma.
The Reds are keen to tie Dominik Szoboszlai to a new deal and so will fend off any interest in him that arises, while the remaining core of the squad were only recently signed.
As such, the only Slot-related alteration to their plans that could be possible concerns both Jones and Harvey Elliott.
It remains to be seen if a change in the role on offer could convince the former to turn down Inter and pen a fresh contract.
Elliott, meanwhile, will return from a loan at Aston Villa that was not made permanent, desperate to prove that he has an Anfield future under a new manager.
Who could come in?
With Salah gone and Hugo Ekitike sidelined for the foreseeable future due to an Achilles tendon injury, Liverpool are looking to seriously bolster their attack.
RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande is the No 1 winger target, though he is also wanted by European champions Paris Saint-Germain, meaning Bradley Barcola could be pursued as an alternative.
While the transfer window may not be open yet, clubs up and down the land are assessing their options, with data departments and scouting networks going into overdrive.
Arsenal’s success this season is not for everyone, but many of Mikel Arteta’s peers have been mightily impressed with how the Gunners have gone about their business. And success leads to replication.
Transfer committees are now looking for players with similar traits to some of Arsenal’s best in their potential recruits. Udinese’s Arthur Atta – wanted by Everton, Newcastle, Fulham and a host of elite Italian clubs – feels he has just what Premier League sporting directors are looking for.
“I’m a player who likes to have the ball in the build-up, to be close to goal, to give my team-mates good balls, create space for teammates and also move a lot to disturb the opponents,” Atta tells The i Paper. “I like to play in the middle and see opponents who don’t understand how to defend those movements.
“I have physical and athletic quality that could be useful in the Premier League. I’m a creative player who can also make a difference one against one. All these things could make me a success in England.”
Which English clubs are interested in Atta?
Fulham had a £17m bid rejected in January for the 23-year-old midfield metronome, named April’s Rising Star of the Month in Serie A. Everton have since joined the pursuit, as David Moyes looks to add some much-needed guile and vigour to his engine room.
With Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes linked with moves away from St James’ Park this summer, Newcastle will need to move fast to replace their outgoing stars. Reports in Italy suggest Atta is the type of profile they could look at.
The i Paper understands all three are considering making an offer this summer, with Udinese looking for closer to £26m if they are to sanction a sale.
Atta did start out life as a goalkeeper in the youth academies of Rennes and Metz, mainly due to his size. The French youth international was far too good with the ball at his feet to be stifled that far back, however, eventually settling in a defensive midfield role as he broke into Metz’s first team.
That uncommon blend of size and technique wasn’t going to go unnoticed for long, with Udinese coming calling in 2024.
Does Atta want to leave Udinese?
Atta began life as a goalkeeper before switching to midfield (Photo: Getty)
Atta is not agitating for a move right now. Udinese are Serie A’s safest bet, having been an Italian top-flight staple for the past 31 years. Mid-table is their sanctuary – the perfect place for young talent to develop without being embroiled in the desperate fight for survival.
“We are a really good group this year,” Atta adds.
“It helps me a lot to be here. I said that a lot of times, when I came here I thought that tactically I was ready and I could play without problems, but after being in Serie A, I understood that my tactical level wasn’t enough. I improved a lot.
“I became stronger and I understood in Serie A, like in England, physicality is really important for duels. Playing for Udinese helps me even more because they are always here for my improvement. This club is ideal to let young players grow up.”
Why Atta wants Premier League move
Atta’s stock, enhanced by his fine end to the campaign, has attracted interest from Napoli and Juventus, too, who love nothing more than hoovering up the best talent Serie A has to offer.
Having worked on the physical side of his game, however, a move to the Premier League may just prove impossible to resist.
“The Premier League is the best league in the world, if I were to say otherwise it would be a lie,” Atta says. “It’s a league that everyone would like to be playing in one day.
“I have not spoken to any clubs yet so I don’t know what can happen in the future. I play for Udinese and I would like to keep growing and keep playing – this is the most important thing for me. If there are opportunities in the next transfer window, then the club and I will look at the options. I’m really good at Udinese – they help me a lot. I’m a better player compared to when I came.
“The Premier League is the most followed league where there are a lot of top players. It’s a difficult league, so all games are at a top-quality level. I think that’s why it is the most attractive league.”
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Had it not been for an Instagram post sent in haste and viewed by millions, Gary Lineker‘s plans for the World Cup would be very different.
Cast your mind back a year ago and the plan was for this summer’s tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada to be Lineker’s BBC “victory lap”, the final in New Jersey next month bringing the curtain down on a stellar but sometimes controversial career with the corporation. It was the perfect script for their star presenter.
But an ill-fated pro-Palestine post – which featured a rat emoji widely understood to be an anti-Semitic trope that Lineker hadn’t noticed – put an end to that and perhaps prevented further fireworks down the line.
Released from “walking on eggshells” at the BBC after the furore last year, Lineker will be fronting a daily Netflix version of his The Rest Is Football podcast in Manhattan’s Times Square, immersing himself in the World Cup atmosphere and delivering some straight-talking analysis. Meanwhile his former colleagues will be back home in Salford, passports in the top drawer while they describe events an ocean away.
“I’m surprised the BBC is not going,” he tells The i Paper. “I don’t know whether it’s costs or pressure because they’re always fighting against that but I know if I was presenting I would have been arguing the case to go.
“I’m in the camp that they should be there because it’s the biggest televisual event we get every four years. The top six, eight, 10 shows this year will all be from the World Cup and half of those will be on the BBC. They will probably go out if England are still in it towards the end but I am surprised they’ve made that decision.”
‘I feel liberated after leaving the BBC’
Lineker will front his podcast alongside old BBC colleagues Micah Richards and Alan Shearer (Photo: The Rest Is Football)
Lineker is baffled but not belligerent. His acrimonious exit in 2025 meant he was free to do the Netflix deal and “be there, in New York, rather than sitting in a green box”.
And he does seem happy and relaxed, full of anecdotes and excitement about the World Cup and a Netflix tie-in that will see his podcast broadcast 40 shows in 40 days.
“Something different” is how Lineker describes it and he clearly loves being able to spend most of his professional career now in what he calls “podcast mode”.
Reading between the lines, that means the freedom to say what he wants, throw in the occasional swearword and operate social media without worrying he’s going to start a media firestorm because of it.
“I feel liberated,” he says of life post-BBC. “I don’t have to tread on eggshells anymore because I’m not part of that thing.”
‘I might be stupid but I’m not that stupid’
Lineker feels he was hounded out of the BBC (Photo: Getty)
Always unapologetic about standing up for what he says are “humanitarian causes”, Lineker likens his relationship with the corporation to a “long marriage that just petered out” and the tension had clearly been there long before the final, explosive act in 2025.
He accuses management of “moving the goalposts” in the latter stages of his presenting career by introducing a stricter code of conduct around social media. “I wasn’t prepared to go with them and I had the benefit of being pretty secure so it was better I left in the end,” he says.
“It wasn’t how I wanted it to end, of course. I missed an emoji, I didn’t see it, I don’t think anybody thinks for a second it was deliberate. I might be stupid but I’m not that stupid so it was a shame.
“I thought an apology should have sufficed but I think at that point there was a lot of weight, a lot of pressure, lobby pressure, from various people.
“But to be honest now I’m kind of glad because I wasn’t doing Match of the Day this season anyway, I was only going to do the FA Cup and the World Cup and actually it would have meant I couldn’t do this and this is something different and fun.
“It means I can be there, in New York, rather than a green box [in Salford, where the BBC will present it].
“I’m pretty happy – not with the way it happened, because it was unfortunate – but I’m happy with the outcome.”
‘Trump is so unpredictable’
Trump is expected to take centre stage in a World Cup like no other (Photo: Getty)
Lineker flies out next week into a tournament that he is worried about. We spoke four years ago about feeling “queasy” with Qatar hosting the World Cup but it is the Trump factor that most scares him this time.
“This one is unique because I can’t remember the host country being at war with one of the competing nations. So that’s something that worrying and Trump is so unpredictable,” Lineker says.
“The ticket pricing as well – are they going to price people out? What’s one of the great joys of the World Cup? Thousands of Argentinians, thousands of Brazilians, the Dutch all wearing orange. Are we going to get that? That worries me a bit.
“But I’ve also learned over the years in my experience of this – including in Russia, including in Qatar – once it starts everyone focuses on the football.”
When that begins there will be relief but taut nerves, too, particularly around England.
‘England have got a chance’
Tuchel leads training at England’s pre-World Cup camp in Florida this week (Photo: PA)
The appointment of Thomas Tuchel was done to bridge the gap between nearly men and winners but Lineker is realistic.
“I think it’s going to be really difficult but I think we’ve got a chance,” he says.
“We looked really tired two years ago and I don’t think Harry Kane was fit, which made a really big difference. But there’s bigger squads this time and a lot of our players have been out injured this season, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. They’ll be going in much fresher.
“We’ve got the quality but it’s just the question of getting a bit of luck, no injuries and then it’ll be about good management because this tournament – more than anything – you will need to change things from time to time because there’s an extra round of matches.”
‘I thought I was going to die in Mexico’
Lineker is England’s record goalscorer in World Cups (Photo: Getty)
He doesn’t necessarily think heat will be a factor but recalls feeling as if he was “going to die” when he played in Mexico in 1986.
“It was murder, absolute murder,” he recalls. “We played three times in Monterrey, one at 12pm, the other two at 4pm, and it got to 42 degrees. When I played and scored the hat-trick [against Poland], in the second half of that game I really did think I was going to keel over and I might be a goner.
“My legs had gone and I started to feel dizzy from the heat and exhaustion but you get on with it and it will have changed a bit now.
“We didn’t have a drinks break, for a start…”
For all of the baggage, Lineker still seems genuinely enchanted by the magic of the World Cup. This will be the 11th tournament in succession he has either played in or worked at. “It’s just wonderful isn’t it. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” he says. Which is just as well.
What he said… Lineker’s views
Lineker feels more at ease with expressing his opinions when in ‘podcast mode’ (Photo: The Rest Is Football)
On the BBC’s decision not to go to the US, Canada and Mexico for the World Cup
“I’m surprised. I’m in the camp that they should be there because it’s the biggest televisual event we get every four years. The top six, eight, ten shows this year will all be from the World Cup and half of those will be on the BBC.
“I know if I was presenting I would have been arguing the case to go but I get it, it’s not easy.
Calling England ‘shit’ at the last Euros
“I couldn’t believe it was such a big story! Of course not.
“If I’d have said ‘very, very, very poor’ no-one would have said anything but I was just in podcast mode, I never thought anything of it. And I think everyone agreed.
“But it was put to Gareth Southgate as ‘Gary Lineker says you’re shit’ without any of the context around it. I understand why. While I could have done without that nonsense it was actually very good for the podcast, we got a lot of listeners.
“The ‘papers were after me at that point anyway – well the right wing press were – but it actually really helped in terms of growing our podcast and I was grateful for that.”
On Trump and the World Cup
“Trump is always a factor. We’ll have to wait and see what happens because he changes his tune quite regularly.
“I genuinely don’t know what to expect. I don’t think any of us know.
“The head of Fifa has given him a peace prize and all these strangely baffling things. I’ll be relieved when it gets underway but it’s so big – the biggest sporting event in the world – that it generally takes on a momentum of its own.”
The Rest is Football begins on Netflix on 10 June
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