Gary Lineker was branded “weird” after letting out rumours of Maya Jama’s Premier League footballer boyfriend on Monday night.
The Match of the Day presenter was at the Baller League draft along with his BBC and Rest is Football punditry pals Micah Richards and Alan Shearer as they picked players for the new six-a-side competition.
Love Island host Jama has also signed up to be a coach teaming with Juventus women’s star Alisha Lehmann to become the first all-female management with their ‘MVPs United’ side.
But on draft night, former Manchester City star Richards was regularly over at their table and engaging in banter with Jama, who called him her “biggest opp” and “nemesis”.
Richards wasn’t happy with he perceived to be “disrespect” after she said he looks 40 years-old, saying: “I’m only 36. You do me wrong man. How old are you?”
Jama explained that she recently turned 30 but then Lineker got involved and told his fellow coach, “Micah, stop flirting and get her boyfriend to play for us”.
Lineker was referring to Jama’s rumoured romance with City defender Ruben Dias and the West Ham fan replied: “Get out! This is why I don’t talk to old people. They’re so weird”.
The two have not got public with their relationship despite subtle social media posts and a picture appearing to show them celebrating New Year’s Eve together watching the sunset in Ibiza.
Fans have spotted that the two appear to have been snapped by each wearing a matching £5,050 ‘LOVE Bracelet’ from Cartier.
They look to have met at the European Music Awards in Manchester back in November, where Dias presented an award and Jama graced the red carpet.
Jama’s first foray into coaching comes alongside one of the most popular female footballers in the world in Lehmann, who won the first ever season of Baller League in Germany in 2023.
Luis Figo and John Terry both have their own teams, with Arsenal Invincibles trio Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg and Jens Lehmann also carefully picking their 12 players.
The league kicks off on Monday 24 March at the Copper Box Arena and will be shown weekly on YouTube and Twitch, as well as Sky Sports.
