Gary Lineker speaks out on Micah Richards breaking 'major broadcasting rule' during live show on BBC

Gary Lineker has spoken out after Micah Richards broke a 'major broadcasting rule' during the BBC's live coverage of Euro 2024.

Richards joined the BBC punditry team for Portugal's round-of-16 clash with Slovenia, alongside Alan Shearer, former Portugal defender Jose Fonte and host Gary Lineker.

The game finished goalless after extra-time - following Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty miss - before Portugal won 3-0 in the penalty shootout to advance to the quarter-finals.

At half-time of the match, Richards analysed Portugal's disappointing first-half performance and what manager Roberto Martinez could change at the break.

Richards said: "I worked with Roberto [Martinez]. He’s so on it with his tactics, details of it, he knows exactly what to do."

Lineker asked Richards, "Where did you work with him?" to which he sheepishly replied, "On another broadcaster."

As well as the BBC and the Rest is Football podcast, Richards also works for both Sky Sports and CBS Sports - covering the Premier League and the Champions League respectively.

Martinez has worked with CBS Sports alongside Kate Abdo, Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, Peter Schmeichel and Richards on the popular 'Golazo' Champions League show.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards explained that he didn't mention CBS because he though doing so would be against BBC guidelines.

"I said on BBC that I worked with him [Martinez]” Richards said. "I didn’t want to name CBS on BBC."

Lineker responded: "I don’t know why, that would have been fine. It’s an American broadcaster, Micah. Even if you’re working on Sky with him, that would’ve been fine as well. That’s not a BBC thing [to punish Richards]. Trust me."

Lineker continued: "When you said ‘I worked with him’, I was thinking ‘Christ, which club did Micah work with him for?'".

Shearer : "You can say what you want man, you’re the biggest pundit now on the BBC!"