FC Seoul captain Jesse Lingard speaks at a press conference at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Dec. 9, 2025, the eve of his team’s Asian Football Confederation Champions League Elite match against Melbourne City FC. Lingard has announced he will leave FC Seoul after this year and the match against Melbourne City will be his last one in South Korea. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — On the eve of his final match for FC Seoul, former England international and Manchester United star Jesse Lingard said Tuesday he has enjoyed a “happy two years” with his South Korean club.
FC Seoul announced last Friday they were not bringing back Lingard for 2026. FC Seoul wanted to exercise their option for a third season with Lingard, who was their captain in 2025, but decided to respect the midfielder’s decision to take his talent elsewhere after two years in the K League 1.
Lingard’s final match in South Korea will be Wednesday against Melbourne City FC in a league stage match of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League Elite at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
“For me, it’s just been a happy two years, a good two years,” Lingard said at his prematch press conference at the stadium. “I’ve learned a lot through my team, through my manager (Kim Gi-dong). I’ve become more mature, a lot of responsibility this year being captain. So I can leave South Korea more mature, I believe.”
Lingard, who had 10 goals and four assists in 34 matches this year after recording six goals and three helpers in 26 matches last year, said he also noticed his South Korean teammates “came out of their shells” this year and he was only happy to have played a role in helping with that transformation.
“I know the Korean guys were very quiet last year, but this year, honestly, they’ve really opened up,” he said. “And it’s important because in football you need personalities and characters. For me to be there and have my personality there, I only helped the players next to me to be more confident and speak out a little bit more.”
Jesse Lingard of FC Seoul (C) dribbles the ball against Gimcheon Sangmu FC during a K League 1 match at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul, in this file photo from March 3, 2025. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Lingard said he savored moments he spent interacting with fans away from the stadium and exploring the South Korean capital city. But he would rather forget about an incident in September 2024 when he was fined for riding an e-scooter without a license and a helmet.
“I think that was one of the things that I didn’t know coming to Korea,” Lingard said. “It’s normal in Europe to ride (without a license). It’s just a learning curve. I learned through that.”
On the field, Lingard has formed such tight relationships with his coaches and teammates that he thinks he will get emotional when the final whistle blows Wednesday.
“I told coach if I didn’t like it (in Seoul), I would have called my agent straightaway and said I’m coming back on the plane,” Lingard said. “But I’ve loved every minute of it, the ups, the downs. The last two years have been amazing, and so you might expect some tears tomorrow. When you have such a bond with a team for that many years, of course you have emotions. It’s normal.”
The 32-year-old said he doesn’t have immediate plans after his FC Seoul days end.
“I need a break after a long season. I will spend Christmas with my family,” he said. “The next chapter, who knows, really. Only God knows.”
(Yonhap)
