JESSE LINGARD

The aim? GCSEs, too

After the win against Colombia last tuesday, Jesse Lingard posted a photograph on twitter, captioned: ‘No mum, I’m not coming home.’

One of the most endearing moments on Saturday was the follow-up post, showing Jesse embracing mum Kirsty (right). ‘Because I said we ain’t going home, she came here. Love you.’

Kirsty, 49, is a former gymnast and the player says she — along with his maternal grandfather — was ‘instrumental’ to everything as he grew up in Warrington.

She struggled when her son left home at 12 to move into club digs near Manchester United. ‘My mum and nan used to cry every night on the phone,’ he says.

She, meanwhile, would insist her son stuck to his schoolwork, rather than just play football. to their credit, he ended up with 13 GCSes.

Kirsty’s photograph is on the wall of Jesse’s room at the england camp.