Gary Lineker
The English striker who scored freely for Barcelona without ever receiving a yellow or red card.
Gary Lineker joined FC Barcelona in 1986 for £2.8 million, managed by fellow Englishman Terry Venables. He made his debut against Racing Santander, scoring twice. In his first season, he scored 20 goals in 40 league games, including a hat-trick in a 3–2 win over archrivals Real Madrid. After Venables was dismissed early in the 1987–88 season, Luis Aragonés took over, and Lineker finished that campaign with 16 goals in 35 league games as the club finished 6th. The club won the 1988 Copa del Rey, though they were eliminated in the quarter-final of the UEFA Cup. The following summer, Johan Cruyff was appointed manager, and Barcelona finished the 1988–89 season in second place, though Lineker lost his place in the side.
- Nationality
- English
- Position
- Striker
- Club Era
- 1986–1989
- Major Trophy
- Copa del Rey (1987-88)
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Lineker's time at Barcelona was marked by both goals and upheaval. After the 1987–88 season, the club endured the 'Hesperia Mutiny', where a large number of players and coaches were fired after protesting pay and conditions. In the aftermath, Barcelona retained only a skeleton of the squad – including Lineker – and brought in Johan Cruyff as manager. Cruyff's impact was immediate, and Barcelona became a much more attacking side. Lineker never received a yellow or red card during his entire professional career, a fact that made his sportsmanship as notable as his goal-scoring. He scored twice against Real Madrid in a 4–1 win in December 1987, and his hat-trick in a 3–2 win over the same rivals made him a cult hero.
In Their Own Story
The 1988 Copa del Rey final was a high point for Lineker at Barcelona. The club had crashed out of the Copa del Rey at the first hurdle the previous season, but under Aragonés they won the trophy in 1988. Lineker finished the league season with 16 goals in 35 games. However, the club's league form was inconsistent, finishing 6th. The following season under Cruyff, Barcelona improved to second place, but Lineker lost his place in the side. He left for Tottenham Hotspur in 1989, having scored 20 goals in 40 league games in his first season and 16 in 35 in his second, with his final season seeing reduced playing time.
Reader's Guide
Lineker's Barcelona career spanned three seasons (1986–1989). He arrived after winning the Golden Boot at the 1986 World Cup. In his first season (1986–87), he scored 20 goals in 40 league games, including a hat-trick against Real Madrid. Barcelona led the league for much of the season but finished second. In 1987–88, after Venables was dismissed and Aragonés took over, Lineker scored 16 goals in 35 league games as Barcelona finished 6th but won the Copa del Rey. In 1988–89, under new manager Johan Cruyff, Barcelona finished second, but Lineker lost his place. He never received a yellow or red card during his entire professional career. He won the 1987–88 Copa del Rey and the 1989 European Cup Winners' Cup with Barcelona.
Did You Know?
- Lineker made his Barcelona debut against Racing Santander, scoring twice.
- He scored a hat-trick in a 3–2 win over archrivals Real Madrid during the 1986–87 season.
- Lineker was one of the few players retained after the 'Hesperia Mutiny' in the summer of 1988.
- He never received a yellow or red card during his entire professional career, including at Barcelona.
- Lineker won the 1989 European Cup Winners' Cup with Barcelona.