Gary Lineker ends Match of the Day with subtle tribute after tragic star's death

Gary Lineker had the final say as Match of the Day wrapped up on Tuesday, followed by a 'subtle' yet deeply touching tribute to a beloved star, less than 24 hours after their passing was confirmed.

The concluding opening matches of Euro 2024 saw Portugal, the 2016 champions led by 39 year old captain Cristiano Ronaldo, face off against Czechia. Despite Portugal being the highest scorers in qualification and Czechia the lowest, predictions of an easy Portuguese victory were off the mark, with the underdogs taking the lead.

Portugal managed to equalise and thought they had taken a 2-1 lead, only for the goal to be disallowed. The win eventually went to Roberto Martinez's highly rated side, thanks to a close-range effort from substitute Francisco Conceicao in added time.

After the final whistle, BBC cameras returned to Gary and colleagues Alan Shearer, Cesc Fabregas and Frank Lampard in the studio to give their verdict and briefly discuss England's upcoming Euros match against Denmark on Thursday.

In his summary of the Portugal v Czechia match during the closing moments, Lineker referred to Portugal's match winner as 'ConceiWOW', followed by highlights of the game. The song chosen to accompany the clips, Dario G's Sunchyme, immediately resonated with many viewers at home.

Late on Monday night, it was announced that Dario G, whose real name is Paul Spencer, had passed away at the age of 53 following a battle with cancer. A post on the producer's Instagram page read: "He was positive until the end but this was one battle he could not fight any more. He leaves behind a wonderful musical legacy and many happy memories".

Dario G's biggest hit was Sunchyme in 1997, which was followed by the still popular football anthem Carnival De Paris, released for World Cup 1998. Reacting to Match of the Day playing Sunchyme, one fan, posting on X, wrote: "Classy tribute to Dario G here", while another responded: "Don't know who's idea it was to play out @BBCMOTD with Dario G but it was a lovely touch".