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Many a description has been applied to Gary Lineker over the years, from World Cup Golden Boot winner to crisp salesman. Lineker has proved a master of reinvention, from England’s best penalty-box poacher since Jimmy Greaves to Des Lynam’s successor as a host who can relax in front of the Match of the Day cameras. In his sixties, he has been branded “woke” by those who use it as a catch-all insult. He has also emerged as an influential figure in the reshaping of the media landscape. “If I get called a podcast mogul, I take that as a compliment,” he says. “I have a company, Goalhanger, that has become almost dominant in the UK podcasting world. Did I ever envisage our company becoming as successful as it is? Of course not.”
