Wright left Gary Lineker "vexed" as he mentions tattoo dedicated to MOTD host

19 December 2023 , 22:31

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Ian Wright provoked an angry reaction from his Match of the Day colleague (Image: Getty Images)

Ian Wright has revealed how he left Gary Lineker "vexed" when he rated Alan Shearer ahead of him.

The trio, who were all prolific during their times in England's top flight, have become regular colleagues on Match of the Day. Wright though will leave his role on the BBC programme after more than two decades when the current season draws to a close.

Arsenal's legendary figure though rubbed Lineker up the wrong way when he voted on a poll to determine who was better of the two strikers. Wright opted for Shearer, who he claims "lived rent-free in my head" due to his experiences against the Newcastle great.

He said on Wrighty’s House podcast: “The other day Gary was vexed because there was some poll, Lineker or Shearer? And I said, Shearer. And he said, ‘You said that too quickly for me’. I call him G-Force, and I said, ‘G-force, you know what you mean to me, bro!’.

“When we played against him, Alan Shearer was living rent-free in my head. Now he is a friend. To be able to say we are tight, the family are tight, is incredible. I have to say he’s better than me at golf — which gets on my nerves — but I’m going to miss the guys.”

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Lineker and Shearer are two of England's most potent forwards with both men winning numerous Golden Boot awards. They have gone on to form an effective partnership in the BBC studio and their closeness saw Wright get a tattoo dedicated to his pals.

“I got my 8, 9, 10 tattoo because it’s my (old Arsenal football shirt) number, it’s Shearer’s number and it’s Gary Lineker's number," he revealed. "Especially after we’d done Covid, we bonded really tightly in and around that time. We spoke to each other a lot.”

Ian Wright backed Alan Shearer ahead of Gary Lineker in a poll (BBC)

Wright's decision to quit Match of the Day is largely motivated by a desire to spend more time with his family. He said on Sunday morning: “I feel very privileged to have had such an incredible run on the most iconic football show in the world. I’m stepping back having made great friends and many great memories.

“This decision has been coming for a while. Maybe my birthday earlier this year fast-tracked it a little but, ultimately, it’s time to do a few more different things with my Saturdays.”

Samuel Meade