Gary Lineker has questioned Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo’s place at World Cup 2026 in the launch episode of The Rest Is Football on Netflix.
The hit football podcast will be a daily TV show on the streamer during this summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Dropping at 6am every day, The Rest Is Football will see Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards joined by a raft of guests to break down everything World Cup 2026.
The first episode was released on Wednesday and the trio tackled some key talking points, including Ronaldo’s trophy hunt with Portugal.
The 41-year-old forward has been named in Roberto Martinez’s squad for this summer’s tournament and is expected to feature regularly in a team that some are tipping to go all the way.
Whether starting Ronaldo, who still has an eye for goal but lacks the mobility of other forward options, is the best thing for Portugal’s hopes has been the subject of much debate – and Lineker weighed in with his thoughts.
He said: “Since 2017, the win percentages are slightly better when he doesn’t play and the goals per game are slightly better when he does play, despite the fact that he’s the most phenomenal goal scorer, I think, in modern times.
“But he is 41… I had been retired eight years by the time I got to his age.”
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The Rest Is Football guest list for World Cup 2026 was confirmed earlier this week, with Harry Maguire, Frank Lampard, and Millie Bright among those who are set to join up with Lineker, Shearer, and Richards at their studio in New York’s Times Square.
The Rest Is Football is available daily from Wednesday 10 June on Netflix. World Cup 2026 kicks off on Thursday 11 June, with Mexico v South Africa on ITV1.
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Authors
Ned is a sports writer at RadioTimes.com. He has covered a host of sports from EFL football, international cricket and golf all the way through to bike polo and triathlon.
