They say genius is never appreciated in its own time. So we can only be grateful that Gary Lineker’s activism is now getting the attention and recognition it deserves. The millionaire motormouth will be awarded a gong on Wednesday from – no joke – Amnesty International, the self-proclaimed ‘world’s leading human rights organisation.’ Ironic, given that UK taxpayers are forced to pay Lineker’s salary via the licence fee, on pain of imprisonment for non-payment of fines…

Like the good eco-warrior that he is, Lineker will jet into Rome to collect a ‘sport and human rights award’ by the organisation, which described him as a ‘staunch advocate for the rights of refugees and migrants’. Well, that’s one way of putting it. Others, including Lineker’s long-suffering colleagues in the BBC, might refer to him as a ‘rule-dodging, limelight-loving loudmouth’ given the way in which he humiliated the Corporation over his ‘1930s Germany’ tweet back in March. Amnesty cheered him on throughout the episode, demanding that Lineker be allowed to speak his mind on refugees, despite his histrionics persistently leading to the BBC being accused of bias.

Still, who needs team mates when you’re the one collecting the award, eh Gary?