Jesse Lingard reveals heartbreaking reason behind career break after South Korea move
Jesse Lingard moved to the K-League to join FC Seoul earlier this year after taking a break following his Nottingham Forest exit and has now detailed why he paused his footballing career
by Scott Trotter · The MirrorJesse Lingard has opened up on the family heartache behind the break in his career after leaving Nottingham Forest.
The 31-year-old midfielder left Manchester United after more than 20 years with club in 2022, spending time on loan at the likes of Leicester, Birmingham and West Ham along the way before joining Nottingham Forest for a season. After leaving the City Ground at the expiry of his contract in 2023, Lingard then went more than six months before making his next move, to FC Seoul, in South Korea.
The England international has revealed that his Nan, Pamela, fell ill during the time he was without a club. Lingard saw his freedom from a club as an opportunity to spend time with his family during a difficult period.
Unfortunately, Lingard's grandmother passed away in November 2023, and his grandfather endured a difficult time in the aftermath. The ex-United star believes that a break from football offered him a poignant time to support his family.
"Behind every footballer there's a story the public aren't aware of and I'd like you to know mine," he wrote in a column with the Times. "It might explain how I got here — and help other players dealing with private strife.
"The only cure was rest [for injury] but, in the summer, when I was out of contract, my nan got ill. She was an amazing woman — Pamela Lingard — and she and my grandad brought me up while, for long parts of my childhood, my mum battled depression.
"But over the course of last summer, she became really poorly. She was in and out of hospital and though I was training hard and missed being at a club, it felt like being out of contract was God's plan: I'm not going to give you a team right now, you need to stay home and be with your family.
"So that's what I did. I spent as much time as I could with them and in November, when nan passed away, grandad took it really hard. He was depressed and suffering dizzy spells and was hospitalised himself. He needed looking after too, and there was the funeral to organise and a speech to give.
"I believe things happen for a reason and that, while my family was suffering, it was just written for me to take a break from playing. However, after Christmas last year it was time to start my comeback."
Lingard joined FC Seoul in February 2024 and while the start of his life in South Korea was interrupted by injury, he appears to have settled well. The former Irons loanee has scored five goals in 21 games for the club and has attracted a great deal of support already.
His first match saw an attendance of 52,000, the highest figure in club football in Korean history.
"When looking for my next club it felt important to go somewhere I was loved and appreciated and, after I returned to Manchester, FC Seoul sent two of their main people all the way there just to watch me train and play in a five-a-side game," Lingard explained.
"The idea of Korea grabbed me. Not just a different challenge, but a new environment and culture. FC Seoul is one of the biggest clubs in the K League, with a fantastic stadium, so I said yes."
"Living here is fantastic. I’m in a great apartment in Seoul, on the top floor of a building from where I can look across the whole city. Views are important to me. I’ve been out and about exploring, even on a bicycle, and tried local food — kimchi, of course — and made the most important discovery of all, a good barber. One of my best friends, Sunny, comes over from England regularly and my daughter, Hope, has visited too. We video-call every day."
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