Behind Closed Doors : Life, Laughs and Football

'This is Lineker unleashed. As a non-football nut I didn t expect to enjoy it, but between laddish anecdotes are passages of sudden tenderness. . . Lineker opens up, dislodging memories and reflections, not just about football but his whole life.'THE TIMESShortlisted for The Telegraph Sports Book Awards_______________________________________________________________ Football is a simple game. 22 players chase a ball for 90 minutes, and at the end the Germans always win. This book is inspired by the stories Danny and I have shared with each other about what life in football is really like: in the dressing room, in the commentary box, on the pitch and with the appropriate pixellation in the showers afterwards.What s it really like to play with Messi? I wouldn t know, but I have starred alongside him in an advert for Walkers crisps. And, well, his performance was world-class.And what is a life in football really like? You won t learn much from the dull-as-dishwater post-match interviews it s a world of secrets, superstitions, laughs and personalities, and let me tell you, half of it you won t believe.I ve looked back at my playing days, from England to Leicester, Everton to Barcelona, Tottenham to, er, Nagoya Grampus Eight, and shared the chaotic behind-the-scenes secrets of Match of the Day and Danny has chipped in with stories from a lifetime following the game as a fan.From Italia 90 to Leicester s Premier League fairytale, from yellow cards to World Cup trophies (I ve never been awarded either), you ll find it all here everything you always wanted to know about football, but didn t realise that you did.Inspired by the No.1 podcast Behind Closed Doors