Lingard revealed his life in Korea... "I heard the alarm at 4 a.m. and watched the Manchester United final, my future? We have to see."
Lingard revealed his life in Korea... "I heard the alarm at 4 a.m. and watched the Manchester United final, my future? We have to see."
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Jesse Lingard told the story of life in Korea in an interview with the British 'BBC'. He also stopped talking about his future.
The BBC released an exclusive interview with Lingard on Thursday (Korea time). Lingard told various stories including his life after leaving Manchester United and his life in Korea.
Lingard was a star player who played in the Premier League. A former United youth player, he played in 232 matches for Manchester United, scoring 35 goals and 21 assists. He also played in the World Cup for England and scored a goal. As he became unstable in his position at Manchester United, he went on loan at West Ham United, and during his prime, he scored nine goals and five assists in 16 matches. He then headed to Nottingham Forest, but played in 20 matches, scoring only two goals and making two assists. He failed to meet expectations due to overlapping injuries, and left the team for the first time in a year.
Recalling the time, he said, "When it came to the Nottingham contract, I had no control over anything. Basically, I had no choice. I knew what I wanted to do, I knew what offers I would take at West Ham and Nottingham. But I was not free to express my opinion at the time. People didn't really think of my interests. I went to Nottingham and what happened there was everything for a reason," he said candidly.
Last year, Lingard's shocking decision to go to the K-League was made. Becoming a free agent after the 2022-23 season, he did not seek a team for a while but joined hands with FC Seoul in February last year. The fact that an unprecedented mega Premier League star player decided to move to the K-League for the first time, which attracts less attention worldwide, drew much attention.
In general, most European star players go to the Asian stage with Saudi Arabia or China, which make huge conditions. Therefore, Lingard's move to the K-League has been followed by numerous questions. At that time, he was receiving nearly 300 million won a week, was not a player who was completely in his twilight years, and offers from various European teams actually existed. In Korea, there were also doubts that Lingard would come to Korea with a business or other purpose in mind.
The reason why Lingard came to Seoul was for 'happiness.' Lingard said, "When I wasn't playing for Manchester United, I was stressed out because I only wanted to play soccer. I came here to find peace. Happiness is peace after all. "I don't care where I am for peace. I am still playing soccer and enjoying it. I have a lot of time left to play soccer. I am 32 years old, but the statistics don't say I am 32 years old."
"I think I can run for a long time. It was the right choice 100 percent. It was a new beginning, and finding happiness again while playing soccer was the most important thing. (Life in Seoul) was an amazing experience. Various cultures, wonderful people, a wonderful city. I think I have improved a lot mentally. I think I have improved my outlook on life thanks to the transfer. I run 10 to 12 kilometers in every race. The speed of running always comes out fast," he said.
Lingard briefly suffered from a knee-churning injury in the first three games since his debut in Seoul last season. However, he recovered to his best condition after undergoing surgery in Korea, contributing to Seoul's advancement. As he continued his full-fledged performance in the second half of the year, Seoul was included in the Final A group for the first time in five years, and as the final fourth, he also qualified for the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE). He is leading the center of Seoul this season by wearing the official captain's armband and becoming a "captain." 안전놀이터
Lingard said, "I was fine all season without any injuries, took good care of myself, recovered well, and ate good food. I did well as a professional. In England, the chef and personal trainer were together, but they are completely different here. I have to do it all by myself. I remember one of the first games I played in Jeju Island, and I felt like I was suffocating in a few minutes. It was so humid. The tempo of the game is fast, and the game is fierce. At first, I was not in good condition, but I got used to it when I found the rhythm," he said of the K-League adaptor.