Ian Wright reveals Gary Lineker tattoo tribute and nickname as Arsenal icon discusses Match of the Day bonds

Ian Wright reveals Gary Lineker tattoo tribute and nickname as Arsenal icon discusses Match of the Day bonds

WATCH NOW: Nana Akua can't decide who's worse - Prince Harry or Gary Lineker

Jack Otway

By Jack Otway


Published: 19/12/2023

- 13:56

Updated: 19/12/2023

- 13:58

The former striker is leaving the show to pursue other interests in life

Ian Wright has shed light on a tattoo he has in tribute to Match of the Day allies Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.

The 60-year-old recently confirmed he'd be leaving the popular show behind, having been a regular ever since his first appearance in 1997.


Wright has often appeared while Lineker has been presenter, with the former Tottenham man getting the hosting gig in 1999.

And the Arsenal icon has now shed light on a tattoo he has in tribute to his two friends, while also revealing he calls Lineker 'G-force'.

Ian Wright Gary Lineker

Ian Wright has opened up on his close bond with Match of the Day ally Gary Lineker

GETTY

“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 said on his podcast.

“Especially after we’d done Covid, we bonded really tightly in and around that time. We spoke to each other a lot.

“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.

As mentioned above, Wright's first appearance on Match of the Day came all the way back in 1997.

Discussing how apprehensive he was at the time, he added: “When I first got the call for Match Of The Day, it does hit hard, you are nervous.

“Because people don’t realise it is live.

"You don’t get much time, you’ve got them in your ear saying, like, ‘ten seconds’, so at the start that would stress me out.

“When you first sit there and the music kicks in, that’s why I didn’t take offence when someone said I couldn’t string words together.

"I was trying to find words! But it gets better and better.”

Wright, clearly, has lived a dream.

LATEST SPORTS NEWS:

Ian Wright tattoo

Ian Wright has a tattoo in tribute to Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer

INSTAGRAM

He will miss Match of the Day - and says he wasn't initially allowed to watch the programme as a young child.

“When we was younger, my stepdad would make me and my brother turn around and face the wall," he revealed.

“So we could hear the music, but we weren’t allowed to watch.

"My brother would hold my ears as I was crying not being able to watch it.”

He added: “Then all the players, you all watch it.

Ian Wright

Ian Wright is stepping away from Match of the Day to pursue other interests in life

GETTY

"It’s not that you analyse yourself. I remember my best goal I ever scored was against Everton at Highbury and I couldn’t wait to watch Match Of The Day.

“Alan Hansen was doing the punditry and he said it was bad defending.

"I said, ‘For f***s sake Al, you’re taking that off of me?’. I said, ‘Jesus, that came out of nowhere, that goal. It was just pure fluidity’ and he said, ‘Terrible defending’.”

You may like