Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have mocked each other’s hairlines during an amusing back-and-forth on BBC’s Euro 2024 coverage of Romania vs Netherlands.
The former strikers have struck up a good friendship during their work together as pundits on TV and they weren’t afraid to let the digs fly when it comes to each other’s hair – or rather lack of it.
In the build-up to Romania’s last-16 clash with the Netherlands which the Dutch won 3-0, defender Andrei Ratiu’s vibrant blue hair became a topic of conversation, giving Shearer the opportunity to aim a savage jibe at Lineker’s grey hair.
The Newcastle and England icon said: ‘Bit of a different blue rinse to yours, isn’t it, Gaz?’
The joke got a laugh from panel guests Alex Scott and Ashley Williams, leading Lineker to respond with a hairline joke of his own.
Gary Lineker (left) and Alan Shearer (right) amusingly traded blows over each other’s hairlines
Andrei Ratiu’s vibrant blue hair was a topic of conversation, leading to the pair to trade digs
Lineker replied: ‘I’ve got no answer to that, Alan. At least I’ve got something to rinse.’
It’s not the first time this tournament that Lineker has made a balding joke – with his previous mis-step hilariously seeing him go viral.
A fortnight ago, Lineker was presenting the BBC’s coverage of Germany and Hungary’s group stage clash, which saw Scott, Brentford boss Thomas Frank and Lampard all join the panel.
Speaking after the match, which Germany won 2-0, Lineker told viewers that footage of Germany supporters wildly celebrating a goal was recorded from the nearby event space. A large screen, however, separated the studio from the park.
‘I wish they’d take that screen down, then we’d see all the punters,’ Lineker said. ‘But if they took the screen down, they wouldn’t be able to watch the game.’
Lampard then responded: ‘The back of our heads… who wouldn’t turn up for that?’
In a brutal and unprovoked riposte, Lineker took a swipe at Lampard’s hair saying: ‘No one wants to see the back of your head these days, do they Frank? That’s for sure!’
Lineker appeared to aim a balding jibe at Frank Lampard – to the Chelsea legend’s shock
Seconds before, Lampard had smiled after making a joke about the view from the BBC studio
Lineker has since mentioned the gaffe on his The Rest Is Football Podcast, explaining that he actually ‘meant it about everyone’.
‘Obviously Frank’s slightly thinning, I’m slightly thinning, and I actually meant it about everyone,’ the former England, Tottenham and Barcelona star said.
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‘But when it came out, it came out a bit wrong. And you know Frank does that thing where he smiles, and then he suddenly doesn’t smile?
‘Frank’s great fun, he won’t mind. I must admit, when I got back to the hotel I saw it on social media and thought, “Oh you f*****g idiot.”
‘I felt really bad, I’ll have to apologise. I will apologise because it wasn’t deliberate but I get how funny it was. Those things happen on live TV.’
Lineker found himself in relatively hot water earlier in the tournament after viewers suggested that he may have breached BBC rules with his sartorial choices.
The footballer-turned-presenter has his own range of apparel at Next, and worse what appeared to be two items from the collection on live broadcast for England’s clash with Serbia last week.
BBC guidelines state that presenters should not ‘appear on-air wearing clothing or using products or services which they have agreed/been contracted to promote, advertise or endorse or in which they have a specific financial interest.’
The green shirt and jacket combo in question is modelled by Lineker on Next’s online store, retailing at £16 and £55.
BBC rules stipulate that presenters should declare any deals or endorsements to promote clothing.
Lineker was also in trouble with animal rights activists PETA over the collection, after modelling a mohair jacket, which the organisation said is ‘made from the hair of abused goats’.
Previously, the Match of the Day Host got into hot water during the 2018 World Cup for promoting a TM Lewin Shirt on Instagram that he wore on-air after becoming the face of the clothing brand.
The BBC branded it a ‘genuine mistake’ after they acknowledged it breached company guidelines.
Lineker told OK! Magazine: ‘I’ve always got my own clothes and I’ve always dressed myself on television. There’s no wardrobe budget at BBC Sport so we all dress ourselves.’