Podcast Wars Erupt as Lineker Counters Carragher's 'No Listeners' Claim
Gary Lineker has issued a characteristically composed yet cutting response to fellow pundit Jamie Carragher, who recently took a public swipe at the popularity of Lineker's football podcast. The exchange highlights growing rivalry within sports media as digital platforms and lucrative deals reshape broadcasting.
The Jibe That Sparked the Feud
The incident unfolded during a CBS Sports Champions League broadcast. Presenter Anita Jones joked with Micah Richards, a co-host on The Rest Is Football, about sharing proceeds from the podcast's newly announced Netflix partnership for 2026 World Cup coverage. Jamie Carragher interjected dismissively, stating: "Oh, the Netflix deal for the podcast that no-one listens to? Honestly, I don't know anyone who listens to it!"
Richards, who presents the show alongside Lineker and Alan Shearer, immediately defended the programme's standing, claiming it was "just the number one pod in the UK." The matter was then raised on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football, where Richards asked Lineker directly for his reaction to Carragher's comments.
Lineker's Measured but Pointed Retort
Displaying his trademark calm demeanour, Gary Lineker delivered a response that relied on data rather than drama. "I think we have significantly more listeners than the one he does, I can't remember what it's called now," he remarked, a clear reference to Carragher's own podcast, The Overlap, which he hosts with Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Ian Wright, and Jill Scott.
Lineker emphasised letting the figures speak for themselves, adding pointedly: "We don't need to, we just defend it with numbers. Remind me, who got the Netflix gig for the World Cup? I did see it. Thank you for the mention, they did mention it was an award-winning podcast as well."
The Numbers Behind the Banter
Latest industry data from Edison reveals the factual basis for Lineker's confidence. The Rest Is Football currently ranks as the fifth-most listened-to podcast in Britain across all genres and leads the field specifically for sports-related content. In contrast, The Overlap sits at number 17 in the national rankings.
The success is part of a broader expansion for Goalhanger, the media company co-founded by Lineker which produces the podcast. The firm recently announced it has surpassed 250,000 paying subscribers across its portfolio, generating a staggering 70 million monthly episode downloads from audio and video platforms for its 14 regular shows.
Micah Richards Declares 'Podcast Wars'
While Lineker adopted a stats-focused approach, Micah Richards framed the exchange more combatively. "We have got podcast wars now guys, get into gear because we have been nothing but nice," he stated. "I like the team over there, I've worked with a lot of their staff, really nice people and really good at what they do but you can't be calling out our pod. We have got to defend it with everything we have."
This public spat underscores the increasingly competitive and commercially valuable landscape of sports podcasting, where listener figures, platform partnerships, and pundit profiles are fiercely contested.
