Gary Lineker has revealed he was left with intense cramp after sitting next to Anthony Joshua at Wimbledon, and considered swearing at the boxing icon.
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Former Match of the Day pundit at WimbledonSat in the Royal BoxWas next to Joshua's huge frameFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Lineker was spotted in the Royal Box at Wimbledon alongside British boxing great Joshua. The unlikely duo watched on at centre court as Taylor Fritz and Carlos Alcaraz won, before hometown hero Emma Raducanu crashed out to Aryna Sabalenka. However, the former Match of the Day host was left squeezed into his seat, as he had to deal with Joshua's 6'7 frame, and he has revealed he was left battling cramp.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT LINEKER SAID
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker said: "I was sitting in the seats next to Anthony, and he's obviously huge.
"His legs… and the only way he sits, because there wasn't enough room, was he had his legs wide open.
"And I was forced, for like seven hours, whatever it was, to put my legs to the… it got to the stage where I was getting cramp in my inside thigh so badly.
"And the game was going on and I wanted to shout.
"But I never had the balls, at any point, to tell him, 'Will you f***ing move your legs over a little bit, give me some room?'
"Absolutely true. But he's a lovely, lovely guy and I had a laugh with him. And they were great company for the afternoon."
THE GOSSIP
Lineker, of course, left Match of the Day at the end of the 2024/25 season and is set to be replaced by Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates, and Mark Chapman. In addition to those three rotating presenters, Wayne Rooney has also reportedly netted an £800,000 deal to become a pundit on the show.
AFPWHAT NEXT?
Joshua is expected to get back in the ring before the end of the year, but he has not fought since Daniel Dubois knocked him out last September. Maybe Lineker had a few daydreams of that when he was squished into his seat.