Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher recently took a friendly jab at Gary Lineker during CBS Sports' live coverage of the Champions League. This came in light of the former Match of the Day presenter's lucrative agreement with Netflix, which has sparked some envy among competitors.
Lineker departed from BBC in May after a 26-year stint as the frontman for Match of the Day. He is now focusing on his podcast, "The Rest is Football." Initially scheduled to present BBC's coverage of the 2026 World Cup, Lineker severed all ties with the corporation.
His departure turned out to be highly successful as Netflix secured his services for next summer’s World Cup. The streaming giant struck a deal with "The Rest is Football" for tournament coverage, reportedly earning Lineker more than his £1.35 million salary at BBC.
Beneficial arrangement and friendly banter
This arrangement also benefits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, co-hosts on Lineker’s podcast. During CBS Sports' Champions League coverage on Tuesday evening, reporter Anita Jones humorously asked Richards if he would share some of his newfound wealth from Netflix.
Carragher couldn't resist joining in on this banter by questioning the popularity of their podcast: "Oh, the Netflix deal for that podcast no one listens to? Honestly, I don't know anyone who listens to it!"
However, recent figures from Edison Research contradict Carragher’s claim by ranking "The Rest is Football" as UK’s fifth most-listened-to podcast and leading sports-focused program.
Success story continues
"The Rest is Football" will broadcast daily episodes throughout next year's World Cup featuring game analysis and insights into this global sporting event. The hosts - Gary Lineker along with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards - will be recording from New York.
Lineker described the Netflix partnership as a 'fantastic opportunity for the three of us to do what we love – talk football every day – but on a truly global stage.' Lineker is also a co-founder of Goalhanger, the production company behind "The Rest is Football" and several other successful podcasts. The company recently announced that it has exceeded 250,000 paying subscribers across its network, generating 70 million episode views monthly across audio and video platforms for its 14 regular programs.
While Carragher's playful jab at Lineker may have been in jest, there's no denying that Lineker’s move from BBC to Netflix has proven to be highly beneficial. As sports fans eagerly await next year’s World Cup coverage on Netflix, it seems like "The Rest is Football" podcast team are set for an exciting journey ahead.
