Gary Lineker's heartwarming gesture revealed by Rio Ferdinand as MOTD host exits BBC

icon paid tribute to by sharing a heartwarming gesture that the outgoing (MOTD) host made during their first time working together. Shortly after Ferdinand's retirement from football, he ventured into punditry and found himself working with Lineker at the 2014 .

The two shared the screen in Rio for the BBC and Ferdinand said that Lineker went out of his way to help the new pundit, giving him the right conditions to perform in front of millions for the first time in his new career. Ferdinand has since gone on to become one of the senior faces of TNT Sports' football coverage.

Speaking on X (formerly known as Twitter), Ferdinand : "Great presenter, looked after me & made things easier on set for me when I first went into broadcasting at the World Cup in Rio 2014! Part of the furniture for all them years....will be missed on a Saturday night no doubt. A quarter of a century."

Ferdinand was reacting to Lineker's last MOTD, where , having split with the BBC following an antisemitism row. He had anchored the highlights programme for two decades and worked with the broadcaster for 26 years in total.

"It wasn't meant to end this way," Lineker quipped after a turbulent few weeks. "But with a title race over and the relegation places confirmed, the was all we had to talk about!

"It's been an absolute privilege to have hosted Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It's been utterly joyous," he said.

Speaking directly into the camera to viewers at home, he added: "And my final thank you goes to all of you. Thank you for watching, thank you for all your love and support over the years. It's been so special, and I'm sorry that your team was always on last. Time to say goodbye."

Ferdinand's tribute was the latest in a long line of colleagues past and present who were queuing up to praise Lineker. During the show, the BBC played a series of tributes, which included co-stars and Micah Richards alongside , Alan Smith, Peter Shilton, Paul Gascoigne and others, as well as his sons George, Angus, Tobias and Harry.

managers voiced their appreciation, with newly-crowned champion Arne Slot of Liverpool saying: "Thank you for being such a great presenter of a BBC show that I watched many times when I lived in Holland, and now still."

Pep Guardiola added: "You won't believe it but you will be missed."

Voices from outside of football chimed on social media, alongside Ferdinand, with Labour MP John McDonnell writing: "Thank you for the years of enjoyment you have given me watching you present Match of the Day. You have presented it with astute football judgement, fairness & wit. You have also won my respect for displaying such humanity & principle on so many issues."

Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates will take on MOTD presenting duties for the 2025/26 campaign.