Former presenter Des Lynam admitted he thought was a 'poor' presenter when the ex- star began presenting. All the way back in 1999, Lynam left his position as host of the iconic highlights show to join

At the time, the now 82-year-old broadcaster was a legend of British television and replacing him on the show looked to be an almost impossible task. Fresh from his football retirement five years previously, Lineker was given the honour of filling Lynam's vacant position.

Despite the initial hurdles, Lineker blossomed into one of television's most recognisable faces. After 26 years in the Match of the Day studio, Lineker will step aside at the end of the current season. Looking back on the World Cup golden boot winner's quarter-of-a-century as host, Lynam offered his honest thoughts.

He said to the Metro: "I never miss it [Match of the Day]. I'm waiting for what Gary Lineker says at the end of the programme. He's very cute with his one-liners. He will be very much missed.

"He took over from me because I went off to ITV 25 years ago. He was poor to begin with and he took time to adjust, but once he got the hang of it, he was off an away.

"The last 10 years he's been magnificent. He's got the two things you need - football knowledge and he's good to look at. No other ex-player had presented football and he was ambitious. The players used to call him Des apparently, especially Paul Gascoigne."

Lineker signalled his departure from hosting duties in November 2024, against the backdrop of the BBC securing another four-year period to showcase Premier League highlights.

Amidst wide speculation about the identity of the former Spurs and Barcelona icon's successor, the BBC threw a curveball by naming a trio to carry the mantle. Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman, and Kelly Cates will all share the hosting duties once Lineker steps away.

When asked about the fact a trio of personalities has been announced instead of one presenter, Lynam was speptical about the new arrangement. He said: "I'll reserve my judgement for when they start working.

"The fact that there are three of them is a bit of a weakness, because if there was one outstanding candidate, you'd put them in. But they're all talented, competent broadcasters."

Lineker will step away from the Premier League highlights, but will continue to present live FA Cup action. He will also be anchoring the coverage of the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the United States of America.