World Cup gig for FIFA critic Lineker
BBC football presenter Gary Lineker has been a ferocious critic of FIFA, but he is still set to play a role in their World Cup draw in Moscow.
Lineker has frequently castigated football’s global ruling body in interviews and on social media, before and since the downfall of Sepp Blatter’s corrupt regime in 2015, making him the least likely former international star to be involved in the showcase ceremony at the State Kremlin Palace on December 1.
But Lineker, who was the tournament’s top scorer with six goals at Mexico 86, is expected to be confirmed shortly in an important role.
Match of the Day anchorman Lineker would normally have hosted the BBC’s coverage of the event, but Mark Chapman has been chosen to deputise, with Lineker unavailable.
German Miroslav Klose, the leading scorer in World Cup finals history, will carry the trophy into the draw, with other guests to be announced after the last qualifier has been played.
In 2014, Lineker called it ‘ludicrous’ that Qatar would stage the 2022 World Cup, adding: ‘It makes you feel sick actually, the whole FIFA thing. The corruption at the top level is nauseous.’
The next year he said of FIFA: ‘The only way this revolting organisation will change is if the major football federations walk out.’
And in 2016, after FIFA had fined the home nations for displaying remembrance poppies, he said: ‘Football is dying with these clowns having governance. FIFA are a disgrace.’ A permanent england captain will finally be named by Gareth Southgate before the World Cup and Tottenham’s eric Dier made a very strong case for the role over the international week. He is considered tactically astute by Southgate and was conspicuously telling team-mates where to pass the ball in the Germany and Brazil friendlies. Off the field, Dier’s fluent Portuguese impressed the Brazilian media.
THE cancellation of next month’s Soccerex conference in Doha is a sign that the blockade against Qatar by Gulf states over the country’s alleged funding of terrorism is impacting on football. The event was aimed at the Asian market and difficulties travelling to Qatar were insurmountable.