From United’s faded star to Korea’s pin-up boy
Mail Sport travels to Seoul to find Jesse Lingard’s every kick cheered and replica shirts flying off the shelves as he takes centre stage in Far East
THERE is a famous Korean proverb that reads: Gosaeng kkeut-e nag-i on-da. translation: at the end of hardship, comes happiness. As Jesse Lingard, 31, embarks on an unlikely Korean adventure, the adage couldn’t be more apt. there has been plenty of hardship. Now the quest for happiness.
As Mail Sport arrives at Sunday’s fixture between Lingard’s new club FC Seoul and Incheon, giant posters are draped across the outside of the club’s World Cup Stadium with the former Manchester united star front and centre of their marketing strategy.
the happiness on one young supporter’s face as he mimics Lingard’s trademark hand gesture as his parents photograph him is heartwarming. Lingard’s No 10 shirt is by far and away the most spotted on fans; followed by the No 6 worn by club captain Ki Sung-yeung — formerly of Celtic, Swansea and Newcastle.
Mail Sport even sees a Manchester united shirt with ‘ Lingard 14’ on the back. the locals are going out of their way to make him feel at home.
the 51,670 attendance is the highest in the K- League since 2018. No prizes for guessing why. Shrieks of delight reverberate around the stadium whenever his face appears on the jumbo screens. Roars of anticipation come whenever he touches the ball.
His performance from the bench — his home debut — is mixed as his side draw 0-0. But it’s all good news for FC Seoul. It’s good news for Lingard’s bank balance, too. the attacker is understood to have agreed a healthy image-rights package as part of the deal that brought him to Korea.
there was a frenzy at the airport when he first arrived which stunned Lingard — and he has toured the world with Manchester united. His every move was cheered by the adoring fans, all desperate to catch a glimpse of their new hero.
Lingard replica No 10 shirts are flying off the shelves here in Seoul, so much so the club are struggling to meet the demand. A designated ‘Lingard Zone’ is set up on the stadium concourse for the Incheon match enabling fans to buy jerseys.
Buteven then, supporters are queuing for four hours for the privilege, while, on Saturday, there was another lengthy queue outside the official club shop with fans trying to grab any Lingard memorabilia they could.
‘Since I landed here, from the first day, the support and fans made me feel welcome,’ Lingard says after the match. ‘the people at training and the hotel I’m staying at — the love and support has been amazing.
‘It gives you confidence when you step out on to the pitch. You want to do well for them, not only yourself. You want to give them energy because that’s what they give me. I’d love to meet every fan and sign every shirt — but the love has been top and I can only do well on the pitch and give back on the pitch.’
there’s clearly room for improvement there given Lingard has been out of action so long. He enjoyed his pre-season camp in Japan, during which he scored four goals and supplied four assists in six friendly matches.
Coming on for the final 15 minutes in the opening league game away at Gwangju is followed by another substitute appearance against Incheon. It was planned to be a 30-minute cameo but turns into an hour- long shift after FC Seoul’s head coach Kim
Gi-dong tries to counter Incheon’s dominance by introducing him unexpectedly in the first half.
It works for a while, two deft through balls from Lingard offer a glimpse of the impact he could have here — although he does squander a golden late opportunity to win the game.
‘I’m still building, I had six or seven games in pre-season and I came on a little bit earlier than expected today,’ he says. ‘I tired a little a bit, but I haven’t played a full 90 in a very long time.’
On the his late chance, Lingard adds with a wry smile: ’the ball just bobbled at the last minute!
‘ that’s not going to get us down, we are confident. I want to take the ball, create and help affect the play, it won’t get my confidence down. It’s about mindset.’
Playing as a No 10, Lingard is given licence to roam, although his team- mates struggle in locating their new colleague, particularly in the second half.
But there are signs of clear patterns of play designed to get Lingard, who has strapping on his right knee, on the ball in dangerous areas as much as possible.
Communication is a clearly an issue, with head coach Kim using Lingard’s translator to convey his messages.
A point from their opening two games, without scoring a goal, suggests FC Seoul need Lingard up to speed sharpish.
But his career since leaving Nottingham Forest last summer had been at a standstill. He had not played a single game since April before completing his move to Seoul last month. He had been without a club since June and not completed a full 90 minutes since August 2022.
HISdecision to move to newly promoted Nottingham Forest — and be part of their transfer blitz — ahead of the more settled sides West Ham or Newcastle last season raised eyebrows as many assumed his decision was based around money. Now that he finds himself a world away from elite level football, the told-you- so brigade are in full voice.
there will be many who have little sympathy for Lingard in the belief the problems are of his own making. But his journey has not been easy. the decision to relieve his brother and father, who acted as his advisers, of their responsibilities created a strain; and he had to cope with the pain caused by his mother’s battle with depression. He has had his own issues with anxiety.
So, if there’s a semblance of happiness on the horizon for Lingard here in Seoul then good for him. Surely no one would begrudge him a smile.
And he is trying. It will take a while but the comeback is underway here in Korea’s vibrant and sprawling capital city.
Who’d have thought Seoul would be the scene for Lingard’s planned renaissance? Who’d have thought he would be here after rasping home England’s third in a 6-1 win over Panama at Russia 2018? Yet, here we are — a long way from the World Cup semi- finals. A long way from Manchester united.
But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. those close to Lingard insist his decision to turn his back on Europe to start a new life in the Far East is not motivated by the standard of the football but
by a desire to change his life. ‘I’m always up for new adventures,’ Lingard tells Mail Sport. ‘Trying different things, learning different things, trying different foods and learning the culture. That what I’ve been doing.’
Lingard has been staying at the plush Intercontinental Hotel in the Gangnam district of Seoul but has found a permanent home around 10 minutes away from the club’s GS Champions Park training ground — just east of the centre of Seoul.
He will move into his new apartment by the end of March. Moving closer to the his side’s HQ will limit the hours spent sitting in city’s relentless traffic jams, although the club have provided Lingard with his own chauffeur. Life in Seoul is run at a rapid pace, the hustle and bustle of the city centre is exhausting. It can be lonely, too, particularly with the language barrier although Lingard has one familiar face with him as one of his key commercial advisers is staying with him.
Adapting to life in Seoul will take time, especially with the added pressure of living up to his billing on the pitch.
But Lingard will have people falling over themselves to help. Koreans are warm and friendly, it was part of the attraction for Lingard, who had grown tired of the constant scrutiny and abuse in the UK.
The football fans in Seoul are courteous and polite, it is not the culture to be in a player’s face demanding selfies when Lingard is in a restaurant. Nor do they shout abuse at him from across the street. There is fascination, but it is respectful.
ONCe he reaches optimum fitness then you would imagine he and his team will improve markedly. Of course, all that rests on Lingard’s shoulders. How much does he want it? It’s important to outline he had other options; clubs in Italy including Lazio were keen. Besiktas wanted to sign him, MLS outfits Portland Timbers and David Beckham’s Inter Miami were also in the mix.
Indeed, once his two-year contract in Korea expires, there is every chance the opportunity to play in America will come again. But for now Lingard wants to CrACKING make it big in Asia.
the vastly lucrative popular culture market in the Far east is set to become a key strand of Lingard’s commercial work here, with a number of Korean-based management agencies already in discussions about marketing partnerships.
There are also already plans for him to visit other countries in the region as his global appeal expands.
His schedule means he is unlikely to make the 14-hour journey back home to see family — in particular daughter Hope — too often. Yet FC Seoul have provided him with a significant travel budget so he can finance flights for his loved ones to visit Korea.
Whether we will ever see Lingard back in the Premier League remains to be seen but it is unlikely. He is comfortable with that. It is unlikely he will ever play international football again. But he has fulfilled his dream of playing for Manchester United. What else is there for him to achieve back home?
There is a footballing world beyond the glamour of the Premier League and Lingard wants to experience it for himself.
It may work out for him. It may not. But if it makes him happy, then what is more important than that?