Gary Lineker encourages gay footballers to come out - 'We'll applaud their bravery'

Gary Lineker says he hopes a gay male footballer comes out at the top level – and is “applauded for their bravery”. The former England striker shared his thoughts when asked why he thinks it’s hard for players to be open about their sexuality.

said of stars: “If the first one comes out, a player at the top level, I think others will follow. It’s easy for me to say they should do it. It’s hard to know how difficult it is. There’s probably a bit of fear involved.”

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Lineker, 64, added: “I think if a player came out the reaction would be positive and applaud them for the bravery of doing it.”

The outgoing presenter was also asked about whether or not he’d be going to the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality is illegal.

“No, I won’t be there,” revealed Gary. “Hopefully by 2034 that has changed, I hope.”

His comments came in show The Assembly, in which stars are quizzed by interviewers who are neurodivergent, autistic or learning disabled.

Asked how he avoided a booking in his 16-year career for clubs like and , he said: “I never tackled anyone. It’s impossible now to go through a career without being booked. In my day you’d have to have committed grievous bodily harm to be booked.”

Asked how he would like to be remembered, Gary mused: “I don’t mind what people think about me. People have opinions about people when they don’t have any idea what they’re like. People thought I’m a good footballer. I was born to be in the box, I learnt to be on the box and very soon I’ll be in a box. It’s been fun.

“I’ve been incredibly lucky. I wonder why I have been so blessed. But I’m thankful.”

He said: "It was a crazy week. It upset me, having all the press outside my house every minute of the day for five or six days. It got a bit silly."

But said support from his colleagues meant a lot to him. "It was actually also lovely, because the backing I got from the people I work with was beautiful," he said.

Lineker had posted that language used by over the stop the boats asylum policy was "not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 1930s".

But after he was suspended, many of his colleagues in Sport declined to stand in for him, including Alex Scott and Alan Shearer.

Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will replace Gary in the famous Match of the Day chair

The Assembly: is on ITV1 at 10pm tomorrow night.

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