It's easy to forget that Alan Hansen was once viewed as one of the UK's most-loved and respected pundits for his long-term stint with Match of the Day . Yet it's now been over 10 years since the Liverpool and Scotland icon was spotted on UK screens. Hansen provided analysis for 16 FA Cup finals, six World Cups, five European Championships, and even an Olympic Games on the BBC. His crisp Scottish drawl, often slamming players as "diabolical" or "shocking", became as legendary as it was lovingly parodied. Yet he called time on the show and his media duties in 2014. Since then, the iconic former centre-back has rarely been seen in public and is thought to live a quiet life with his wife Janet, and their two children, Adam and Lucy. A worrying health scare and MBE award brought him back into the headlines in the last few years, but the man who once claimed that "you can't win anything with kids" has left a large hole in the country's football punditry landscape. Here Mirror Football takes a closer look at Hansen. A stellar 14-year career at Anfield saw Hansen, now 69, win 25 major trophies, including eight league titles and three European Cups. Punditry seemed like a natural step for the composed defender after he retired from the game in 1991, and so Hansen became part of an iconic team on Match of the Day a year later, providing cutting edge analysis at the dawn of the Premier League . His time on the show was iconic as his days on the pitch. Even after he claimed a Manchester United side, that went on to win a Premier League and FA Cup double, was going to flounder by playing youngsters such as David Beckham and Gary Neville , Hansen's reputation remained intact. However, he thought it time to bring his days in the spotlight to a close over a decade ago. On his departure from Match of the Day, Hansen said: "The guys at the BBC know me and I said, 'Look, this is categorical. I'm leaving and nothing will make me change my mind'. I've been in football for 41 years and I'm going out right at the top, just as I did at Liverpool." It was announced on June 9 2024 that Hansen was “seriously ill” in hospital. He was later released from hospital to continue his recovery at home. Since the scare, Hansen has been able to resume his normal life, taking part in activities like golf . He also looked in good spirits as he received his MBE for services to football and broadcasting at Windsor Castle in March of this year. While many thought Hansen was simply chasing a break following over two decades on screens, he actually confessed in a 2016 interview that his departure from the media sphere was a result of "crippling" nerves. "There was no training, it was sink or swim," he said. "After 22 years I kept telling myself I wouldn't get so nervous, but it got worse. That was one of the reasons I left. The BBC were terrific, I loved the people and Match of the Day but I didn't enjoy the nerves." The three-time European Cup winner's words were even given credence by Lineker himself, who gave an account of his fellow pundit's inner turmoil. "He was incredibly nervous," Lineker said. "Which is why he quit. He got so nervous. He used to shuffle his feet on the floor." Yet Lineker adored working with Hansen and paid him the ultimate compliment of being one of the forefathers of modern day punditry. "He was probably the first person that went down the more analytic route, a path now followed by so many," Lineker said in April 2023. "He was a brilliant pundit." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.