It is well-documented that Gary Lineker is bilingual. After all, the Spanish-speaking former England striker did spend three years in Barcelona during his playing career.
Well, on Wednesday night, the ex-Leicester City, Tottenham and Everton forward tried his hand at a third language: Welsh.
At half-time during the BBC's broadcast of the Belgium v Canada World Cup game, Lineker threw the coverage to BBC presenter Catrin Heledd, who had been at the Wales camp that day and brought all the latest news including a fitness update on Joe Allen and interviews with Harry Wilson and Kieffer Moore.
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After Heledd's broadcast package was complete, the camera refocused on polyglot Lineker back in the studio, who promptly said: "Mae'n dod adref."
That translates to "it's coming home", famously a phrase which has been emblematic of the England football team since David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and the Lightning Seeds' 1996 release of the song Three Lions. It is commendable to hear Lineker put the language on the map in front of the millions who were no doubt watching the broadcast, and it wasn't long before it got Welsh tongues wagging, figuratively, on social media.
Indeed, MS Elin Jones wrote on Twitter: ‘Mae’n dod adref’ Yes it is @GaryLineker. Great Welsh." Lineker replied to the tweet by saying: "Diolch yn fawr." (Thank you very much.)
Others chipped in on social media, too, with Mark Hutchings writing: "Lineker taps in a nice bit of Welsh at half time. Mae’n dod adref. (It’s coming home.)"
Carl Brown added: "Just heard @GaryLineker say "Mae'n dod adref" on #FIFAWorldCup2022 bbc coverage of #Belgium match. Half time look at Welsh squad news. Class Gary...chwarae teg (fair play)."
However, given the fierce rivalry which exists between Wales and England, one fan would have preferred the presenter to choose a different phrase to the one which has become synonymous with the English.
Kevin Barnes said: "Gary Lineker saying “it’s coming home” in Welsh might be the greatest misappropriation of the Welsh language of all time."
But, credit where it's due, you can't knock him for giving it a go!
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