Alan Shearer has made it clear he intends to remain with BBC Sport following Micah Richards' announcement that he plans to leave television punditry by 2034. Both are familiar faces on BBC's Match of the Day and are currently contributing to the broadcaster's live coverage of the World Cup.
Richards' Surprise Announcement
Richards, who retired from professional football in 2019, has become a major figure in sports media. He co-hosts the popular podcast The Rest Is Football with Shearer and Gary Lineker, which ranks as the sixth most listened-to podcast in the UK. He also works with Sky Sports and CBS. However, the 38-year-old former Manchester City and England defender recently told the Daily Telegraph that he plans to step away from television work by the time he turns 46, with the 2034 World Cup being his final assignment.
Richards stated: "I'll be out of all this by the time I turn 46. You won't see me on any mainstream media beyond the 2034 World Cup. That will be the last time I am on the BBC or Sky or CBS. I've told them all this and they think I'm joking. I'm not." He explained his desire to shift focus to grassroots and community projects in his hometown of Chapeltown, Leeds, saying: "I've given so much of my life to football since leaving school at 14. But when the time comes, I want to make a difference to people's lives at a grassroots level – to help those who need it most, especially young people."
Shearer's Stance on His BBC Future
In contrast, Shearer, 55, has no intention of leaving his punditry role. The Newcastle United legend saw his close friend Gary Lineker depart the BBC last year after 26 years as presenter of Match of the Day. During one episode, Shearer opened the show with a light-hearted joke about Lineker's exit. When Lineker later asked Shearer on The Rest Is Football about taking on presenting duties, Shearer responded: "No, I'm quite happy doing what I'm doing [punditry], so I'll leave that [presenting] to the experts."
Richards' Vision for the Future
Richards elaborated on his plans to give back to his community: "I come from Chapeltown in Leeds. It's an area where there is so much talent, but a shortage of opportunity. I want to give something back. That's my aim. I've no idea what form that will take, yet. There's plenty of time to work that out." He emphasised a hands-on approach: "You see a lot of ex-footballers putting their names to foundations, which is great, but I want to do something more than giving money to charity or showing my face at an event once a year. Hopefully I can keep doing what I am doing for the next seven years – and just make sure I don't get cancelled before then!"
