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Gary Lineker's MOTD farewell hit by glaring error minutes before emotional goodbye

Gary Lineker said an emotional goodbye to Match of the Day on Sunday night, but the final show of the season was not without its issues as a glaring error was spotted

[Gary Lineker speaking on Match of the Day for the last time]

Gary Lineker was emotional at the end of his final Match of the Day episode(Image: BBC)

Gary Lineker's swansong on Match of the Day was marred by a glaring gaffe that left viewers miffed.

The footie favourite bid an emotional farewell to the BBC's flagship Premier League show on Sunday night, as the season wrapped up. The broadcast was chock-full of nods to the 64-year-old's remarkable 25-year tenure.

Lineker was honoured with a special cap and a Golden Boot from pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, and even received a heartfelt video message from Andrea Bocelli, who serenaded Leicester's historic title victory in 2016.

Lineker kept his composure, barely holding back tears during the poignant finale, but fans had already been riled up by a blunder earlier in the show. The second-to-last match featured in the jam-packed episode, showcasing 10 games, was Ipswich versus West Ham.

As Lineker introduced the fixture, he said: "Relegated Ipswich signed off from the Premier League looking to end a run of eight straight defeats at Portman Road, West Ham were their opponents. James Fielden was watching."

[Gary Lineker holding back the tears on his final Match of the Day episode]

Gary Lineker had to hold back the tears on his final Match of the Day episode(Image: BBC )

However, the graphic looming behind him mistakenly displayed Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna next to Everton's David Moyes, not West Ham's Graham Potter. Eagle-eyed viewers quickly took to social media to highlight the mix-up, reports the Mirror.

Fans watching the BBC's Match of the Day noticed an error in the programme's graphics, still displaying David Moyes as West Ham's manager.

Multiple Hammers supporters pointed out the gaffe on X: "Err...@BBCMOTD David Moyes isn't our manager!", "Why did MOTD graphic have David Moyes as West Ham Manager?", and "Picture of David Moyes for the West Ham game fellas? @BBCMOTD".

[David Moyes was shown instead of Graham Potter in error]

David Moyes was shown instead of Graham Potter in error(Image: BBC)

Fortunately for the show's producers, West Ham's 3-1 win took the spotlight off the blunder.

Once the Bournemouth-Leicester match was over, host Gary Lineker made his final appearance, before passing the baton to Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman, and Kelly Cates for the upcoming 2025/26 season.

As Lineker bid farewell, he expressed his gratitude to the numerous pundits he worked alongside during his 25-year tenure, saying: "Let me take this opportunity to thank all of the other pundits that I've had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years, you've made my job so much easier.

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"Also, a huge thank you to those you don't see at home: the work that goes into making this iconic show is a huge team effort. From the editors, to the analysis team, from the commentators to the floor managers, from the producers to the camera operators, from the PAs to the subs, thank you all, you're the very best.

"Rather like my football career, everyone else did all the hard work and I got the plaudits. It's been an absolute privilege to host Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It's been utterly joyous. I'd like to wish Gabby, Mark and Kelly for when they sit in this chair - the programme is in the best of hands.

"And my final thank you goes to all of you. Thank you for watching. Thank you for all of 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. Goodbye."

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