Micah Richards reveals he was told of the death of his father moments before going on air for BBC coverage of England's World Cup defeat as pundit pays tribute in emotional post

BBC pundit told his dad had died moments before going on air for England's World Cup defeat

Micah Richards shared he was told his father had died just moments before going on air for England's World Cup defeat to Argentina. The former Manchester City defeat wrote an emotional message on social media shortly after the programme had ended, saying: "Dad would've wanted the show to go on". Richards, 38, was working as a pundit for the BBC in Atlanta when he discovered the news. Alongside a picture from his childhood, he wrote: "Not long before going on air today, I received the awful news that my father, Lincoln, had passed away. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say "His death was unexpected, and he has left us all too soon. "He was my greatest fan. He barely missed a game my entire life. He would take me wherever I needed to go when I was a kid, and he was the proudest parent possible during my professional career. "It was so rare for him to not be by my side. "I know how much watching England World Cup games means to everyone at home, and how the experience bonds families together across the generations, like nothing else." LATEST SPORTS NEWS Thomas Tuchel gives update on England future after heartbreaking World Cup defeat to Argentina England legends line up to criticise Thomas Tuchel after crushing Argentina World Cup defeat Gary Neville details 'bold decision' Thomas Tuchel should have made in England defeat to Argentina Richards continued: "I know, particularly as a proud old-school Yorkshireman, dad would've wanted the show to go on this evening. And so it did. "Thinking of my siblings and all my wider family today as we remember my father Lincoln, my hero and inspiration." Several of his colleagues sent messages of support to the 38-year-old following the heartbreaking news. Former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, who was working with Richards, wrote: "Sending love Meeks… here for you all. RIP Lincoln." Jamie Carragher, who works with Richards on Sky Sports and CBS, said: "Sending love to you & all the family." Former England Lio

BBC pundit Micah Richards told his father had died just before going live for England game

Micah Richards reveals he was told of the death of his father moments before going on air for BBC coverage of England's World Cup defeat as pundit pays tribute in emotional post

Richards, 38, wrote an emotional post on Instagram shortly after the BBC programme ended. He had been working as a pundit for the BBC's broadcast of the match live from Atlanta.