Custom Search

English Football Legends Series

A prolific scorer at both club and international level, Gary Lineker is the only England player to win the Golden Boot at a World Cup.

Gary Lineker

Clubs: Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur

Position: Forward

Appearances*: 466

Goals*: 343

Honours: FA Cup, 1
Cup Winners Cup, 1
Copa del Rey, 1
Division 2 Championship, 1

---

* League appearances and goals only

Leicester City

Lineker joined his hometown club, Leicester City, straight from school in 1977.

By the early 1980's he was already a first team regular, and scored the goals that helped Leicester to promotion in 1980 and again in 1983.

Despite playing for a relatively unsuccessful club he hit 24 goals in 1984/85, and was the First Division's top scorer - tied with Chelsea's Kerry Dixon.

Everton

Such form attracted the attention of bigger clubs, and in the 1985 close season, Lineker moved to defending league champions Everton for a fee of 800,000 pounds.

He scored 38 goals in 52 games for the Toffees, and was again the division's top scorer, this time with 30 goals.

However, his season at Everton finished without a trophy as they were runners-up to Liverpool in both the League and the FA Cup.

There was some consolation though, he was voted PFA Players' Player of the Year.

Barcelona

After starring at the 1986 World Cup, Gary Lineker was signed by Barcelona for 2,200,000 pounds - new Barcelona boss, Terry Venables, taking Manchester United's Mark Hughes to the Camp Nou at the same time.

Lineker was outstanding in his first season at Barcelona, scoring 21 goals in 41 games and helping the Catalans to the Copa del Rey and the European Cup Winners' Cup. Three of his tally came in a game against Barca's arch-rivals Real Madrid, making him an instant hero.

However, the following season Venables was replaced by Johan Cruyff, and the Dutchman decided to play Lineker in midfield, resulting in him losing his place in the first team.

Tottenham Hotspur

In 1989, Alex Ferguson tried to sign Lineker for Manchester United, but he opted instead to join up with Venables at Tottenham.

He spent three seasons at White Hart Lane, playing 105 times, and scoring 67 goals.

In 1989/90, he was again the First Division's top goal-scorer, and in 1991, he was an FA Cup winner with Spurs.

Despite Lineker's excellent form, Tottenham struggled to 15th place in the final pre-Premier League season.

Nagoya Grampus Eight

His next move was to Nagoya Grampus Eight in Japan's fledgling, J. League. However, his time there was plagued by injury - he made just 23 appearances over two seasons, scoring nine times.

At the end of the 1994 season, he announced his retirement from the game.

He had played 567 competitive games, scoring a total of 330 first class goals.

International Career

Despite Lineker's excellent club record - he is best remembered for his performances in an England shirt, particularly at the 1986 World Cup.

Lineker played most of that tournament with a cast on his forearm, but as top scorer, still won the Golden Boot - the only Englishman ever to achieve the feat.

He also scored the second quickest hat-trick at a FIFA World Cup tournament becoming, after Geoff Hurst, only the second English player to score a hat-trick at a World Cup.

In the 1990 World Cup, he scored four goals, including the late equalizer that took the semi-final to extra-time, and then penalties.

Gary Lineker retired from international football in 1992 having scored 48 goals in 80 games, one fewer than Bobby Charlton's England record, although Lineker's goals came at a much better goals-per-game ratio.

Life after Football

Following his retirement Lineker has enjoyed an extensive media career, has been involved in the development of football themed video games, and has appeared in a long-running series of commercials for Walker's Crisps.

In October 2002, he fronted a consortium to put together a rescue package for Leicester City, donating a six-figure sum himself.

He remains and honorary vice-president of the club, and the north stand of the the Walkers Stadium is named in his honour.

Gary Lineker was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

Return from Gary Lineker to English Football Legends

Return to The Football Club Home Page

or Search the site

Custom Search