Gary Lineker
England's gentlemanly goal-scorer who never received a yellow card, then traded his boots for a microphone to become the trusted voice of football for a nation.
Born 1960 (age 66)·English footballer·Birthday: November 30·Baby Boomers
Biography
Gary Lineker's career is a study in clean, clinical excellence, both on the pitch and in the broadcast booth. As a striker, he was the ultimate poacher, possessing an uncanny instinct for being in the right place to score. His playing journey took him from Leicester City to Everton, then to a successful stint with Barcelona, and finally to Tottenham Hotspur, finishing as the top scorer for each club. Internationally, he led England's attack, winning the Golden Boot at the 1986 World Cup and coming heartbreakingly close in the 1990 semi-finals. His most remarkable statistic is his disciplinary record: in a long career, he was never shown a yellow or red card. This gentlemanly image made his transition to television seamless. As the host of the BBC's 'Match of the Day' for over two decades, he became the calm, authoritative center of British football broadcasting. In recent years, he has also become a prominent, sometimes controversial, social and political commentator on his own platform, proving his influence extends far beyond the 18-yard box.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Gary was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Gary Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Gary's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer in 1986 with England.
- Is the only player to have been the top league goalscorer for three different English clubs: Leicester City, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur.
- Played 80 times for England, scoring 48 goals, a tally that stood as the national record for over two decades.
- Presented the BBC's flagship 'Match of the Day' program for 25 years, becoming its longest-serving host.
- Won the FA Cup with Tottenham Hotspur in 1991 and the Copa del Rey with FC Barcelona in 1988.
Did You Know?
He famously suffered from irritable bowel syndrome during the 1990 World Cup, a condition later named 'Lineker's Disease' by a medical journal.
He presented the BBC sports quiz 'They Think It's All Over' for over a decade.
He began his professional career as a midfielder before being converted to a striker.
He once advertised Walker's Crisps in a long-running series of commercials in the UK.
“Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win.”
