England international Jesse Lingard (FC Seoul) has explained to fans back home why he decided to move to South Korea in an op-ed for a British newspaper.
“The idea of moving to Korea captivated me,” Lingard, a foreign player in the K League, wrote in an op-ed published by The Times on Nov. 11 (local time). It was a challenge to a new environment and culture,” he said.
“If there’s a message I want to convey, it’s this. I came to Korea to achieve something, to leave something behind,” he wrote, adding, ”It’s a long way from home, but I’m going to get back on the pitch and 파워사다리 give it my best shot.”
“I signed a two-year contract with FC Seoul not just to play one season. I signed a two-year contract with FC Seoul to bring trophies to the team and leave my mark,” he reiterated.
Lingard is a former Manchester United and England youth product who has been playing professionally since 2011.
He was a star player for United until the 2021-22 season, scoring 35 goals in 232 official appearances, including 20 in 149 league games, but his career hasn’t gone well since then.
He moved to Nottingham Forest (England) outright for the 2022-2023 season, making 17 league appearances but failing to score, leaving him with two goals in 20 appearances in all competitions.
“My situation a year ago was completely different to what it is now,” says Lingard, ”I had inflammation in my knee and Achilles tendon throughout the season. I played through it, but when the pain was too much, I couldn’t play,” he recalls.
In addition to the injuries, Lingard’s performance was hampered by the passing of her grandmother, who raised her as a child, and the hospitalization of her grandfather.
Lingard, who decided to make a comeback as a player late last year after a difficult family life, started training privately to regain his form.
When he realized that two FC Seoul officials had traveled to Manchester to watch him train, he seriously considered moving to Korea.
“FC Seoul is one of the biggest clubs in the K League. They have a great stadium, so I said yes (to the offer),” he said, adding, ”It was important for me to go somewhere where I would be loved and accepted.”
“Life here is fantastic. I live in an amazing apartment in Seoul, and it’s on top of a building overlooking the entire city.” ”I’ve been biking around and exploring the city. I ate local food like kimchi,” he wrote.
Lingard is not only happy with his ‘Seoul life’ but also his life as a Krigger.
“The locker room atmosphere is a little different to England, but I like it. “The younger players show respect to the older players,” he said, ”and I get along well with the younger players. I try to set an example by working out extra after training,” he said.
“My first home game drew 52,000 spectators. It was the largest crowd in Korean soccer history,” he added.
On March 10, 51,670 fans came to Seoul World Cup Stadium for the match between Seoul and Incheon, which at the time was the highest paid attendance in the K League since 2018.
The record was broken on May 4, the first day of the Children’s Day holiday, when 52,600 fans attended Seoul’s Round 11 home match against Ulsan HD.
“It won’t be easy, but we will challenge for the title,” Lingard said. Seoul is in fifth place with 50 points from 14 wins, eight draws and 11 losses in 33 regular-season games.
With five games left in the final round, they are 11 points behind leader Ulsan (18 wins, seven draws and eight losses – 61 points).
“I hope people will understand me more through this article,” Lingard said. I like to be honest,” he added.