Gary and Wayne Lineker's 17-year feud as brother breaks silence on rift

Gary and Wayne Lineker were once inseparable, but the brothers have barely spoken to one another for the best part of two decades now

Gary and Wayne Lineker, despite being brothers, have led contrasting lives over the past 17 years. Former England striker Gary had a distinguished football career with clubs such as Leicester City, Tottenham and Barcelona, before transitioning into a presenting role.

Most notably, he spent 26 years with the BBC on Match of the Day, with his final episode airing on Sunday as the 2024/25 Premier League season concluded. On the other hand, Wayne, who is two years Gary's junior, has built a globally recognised nightlife empire after initially entering the business world through his father's greengrocers stand.

Fast forward to 2025, and Wayne is often spotted at his Ocean Beach club in Ibiza, mingling with celebrities and fans eager for a selfie, reports Wales Online.

But what caused the rift between Wayne and Gary?

The woman who drove a wedge between the Lineker brothers

Growing up, Gary and Wayne maintained a strong bond which extended into their adult lives, with bi-weekly golf games and regular phone calls. However, the introduction of a new woman in Gary's life in 2008 sparked tension between the brothers.

Gary Lineker's brother Wayne has opened up about the family rift that saw him fall out with the Match of the Day host over his relationship with ex-wife Danielle Bux.

In a candid interview with The Sun in 2015, Wayne recalled the tension saying: "They came to Ibiza in August 2008 and it was really awkward. I didn't spark with Danielle and our relationship was cold."

The trip to Ibiza marked the last time Wayne spoke to Danielle, as he notably missed Gary's wedding to her in 2009 despite having been the best man at his first marriage to Michelle Cockayne in 1986. The estrangement deepened when Wayne discovered his then-girlfriend Ana Tanaka wasn't welcome at the ceremony.

Wayne said: "He was my brother and he was telling me that I couldn't bring my girlfriend of a year and a half to his wedding. She was a lovely, polite girl, and not a five-minute girlfriend."

Gary's 50th birthday

Attempting to bridge the gap, Wayne reached out to Gary on his 50th birthday with a phone call, but admitted the effort was short-lived and unproductive, revealing the awkward chat lasted less than a minute. He said: "I would love nothing more than him to call me up tomorrow and ask to go to lunch to speak about it, but I don't think it's going to happen."

17 years of the cold shoulder

Reflecting on a 17-year rift with his brother Gary during a guest stint on The Mail's Straight to the Comments! podcast, Wayne admitted their bond remains strained, saying: "It's not so good to be honest, we don't really speak very often. I'll always be his number one fan."

Wayne gave insight into their contrasting lives explaining that while he had the talent, it was his lack of dedication that set them apart: "I had all the skill in the world but I had no dedication, no commitments, I just wanted to be out with the lads. Gary had every dedication there was, he was super dedicated, but we're completely different siblings.

"He's very straight and narrow, and I'm very naughty and high. So yeah, we've always been like that."

Plea for reconciliation

In a moving post on Instagram shared in November, Wayne made an emotional appeal for reuniting with his brother, captioning a series of nostalgic photos: "The universe works in mysterious ways. 55 years ago I used to go to Kenwood Road outdoor pool with my mum Dad and brother Gary every week during the summer holidays."

"This was at this time, I know this because it was only open a few years and sadly closed due to English weather – we didn't get enough sunny days like ibiza. It doesn't look too dissimilar to how Ocean does now – stick a few orange cups in people's hands, some round beds in the pool, a few umbrellas and you got O beach Leicester.

"Built on this land by developers were houses – our parents purchased one and Gary and I grew up there until we were adults. The number of the house on Kenwood road was 10, the very same number my bro wore on his England shirt throughout his 80 international games.

"Gary and I share the most incredible memories in that house, 2 brothers rarely leaving each others side..one of my favourite memories of us is both clearing the lounge every Saturday of furniture when mum and dad were out making a goal each end just to play one on one football for hours... ofc (of course) then carefully replacing the furniture before coming home.

"They never did find out... I know for a fact that they will be looking down on us with one wish. That would be to become proper brothers again. #lifestooshort."

Wayne capped off the reminiscing by posting a snapshot of the Kenwood Road swimming pool as well as a tribute to his brother Gary, famously known as the greatest of all time in his craft.

Farewell to MOTD

Gary bid farewell to Match of the Day on Sunday, marking the end of his 26-year tenure as the show's presenter and his departure from the BBC. The BBC dedicated a segment at the end of the programme for Gary to deliver a heartfelt farewell speech, in which he expressed gratitude to the BBC, his colleagues, the production team, and the viewers for their unwavering support over the years.

After sharing Gary's farewell speech on Instagram, BBC Sport captioned it: "Here's how Gary Lineker said goodbye to Match of the Day after 25 years."

Wayne responded in the comments section with a goat emoji, symbolising his admiration for his brother as the 'greatest of all time', despite their nearly two-decade-long complicated history.