A toppled lamp and a smashed picture of Boris Johnson was the embarrassing final score after David Cameron engaged in some footballing horseplay with an England legend in his private office.

On Monday, Lineker joined the Conservative leader to launch Tickets For Troops, a scheme to give British troops free entry to sporting events and gigs.

Mr Cameron invited the Match of the Day presenter back to his Commons office. “Gary Lineker came by and started bouncing the football on his knee and of course as any professional would be he was very good ... well, considerably better than me,” Mr Cameron told Nick Ferrari on LBC radio.

“But he got one wrong and it shot from his knee across the office. It hit the lamp on my desk which promptly toppled over and smashed a framed picture of Boris Johnson I have on my desk.”

Was Lineker’s uncharacteristic lack of ball control more surprising than the revelation that Mr Cameron treasured a portrait of Mr Johnson, his sometime rival? What did Mr Cameron think when he saw the Mayor of London in pieces. “Quite a shame, I suppose.”

When it comes to playing football with your heroes, Mr Cameron must still bow to Tony Blair. The former Prime Minister enjoyed a game of “keepie-up” headers with Kevin Keegan, keeping the ball in the air a creditable 27 occasions.

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