Veteran English forward Jesse Lingard is making history as the first English player to compete in Brazil’s top-tier football league, and he is opening up about his new chapter with Corinthians, his reflections on former club Manchester United, and his outlook ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The 33-year-old, who joined Corinthians after a spell at FC Seoul following his exit from Manchester United in 2022, has already notched his first goal for the Brazilian club in the Copa do Brasil, just weeks after his arrival. When the transfer was first announced, it raised eyebrows across Brazilian football — local pundit Mauro Cezar Pereira even labeled the move a “strange signing”. But Lingard has quickly settled into his new surroundings, saying the challenge of playing for a massive club in one of the world’s most competitive leagues drew him to the opportunity.
“I had other offers on the table, but I came here to push myself,” Lingard told BBC Sport in his first major interview since relocating to Sao Paulo. “This is still high-level football, and I know I can perform at this standard. My goal here is simple: I’ve come to lift a trophy.”
Lingard credits former Manchester United teammate Memphis Depay for convincing him to make the move to Corinthians, with the Dutch winger helping him navigate the early days of adapting to life in Brazil. The Englishman made his debut for the club earlier this month at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracana Stadium, facing off against Fluminense. After months of limited game time and periods of solo training, Lingard described stepping out onto the famous pitch as an “amazing” experience.
Turbulence hit the club just a week after his debut, however: manager Dorival Junior was sacked following an eight-match winless streak that left Corinthians lingering in the relegation zone. Since former Brazil interim manager Fernando Diniz took charge, the club has notched back-to-back wins in Copa Libertadores matches, turning early momentum around.
One of the most striking adjustments for Lingard has been the raw intensity of Corinthians’ global fanbase, with supporters regularly turning up at the club’s training ground to interact with players. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” he said. “Fans coming into the training ground to talk to us, you can feel just how passionate they are about the club. That passion pushes us harder to get results on matchday, even when it means extra scrutiny when we don’t perform.”
Language has been another key challenge for Lingard. Unlike his time at FC Seoul, where he relied on a full-time translator, the forward is adjusting to life in Brazil without dedicated translation support. While a handful of his teammates speak basic English to help him communicate, he says he is determined to learn Portuguese — a goal he finds more attainable than mastering Korean. He has already picked up basic phrases, including how to greet people and order coffee.
Lingard, who spent 20 years at boyhood club Manchester United before leaving in 2022, continues to follow the club’s fortunes closely, describing his two decades at Old Trafford as an “amazing chapter” of his career. After departing United, he briefly played for Nottingham Forest before moving to FC Seoul, a move that surprised many but one Lingard says he needed to reset his focus on football.
Manchester United has endured a turbulent 2025-26 season, but has seen a dramatic upturn in form since Michael Carrick — another former Red Devils teammate of Lingard’s — took over as interim manager in January. The club is now on track to secure a return to the UEFA Champions League, and Lingard has thrown his full weight behind Carrick getting the job on a permanent basis.
“United have come on leaps and bounds under Michael, and he absolutely deserves to keep the role long-term,” Lingard said. “I know him from our time playing together at the club. He has Manchester United DNA running through him, he knows every part of this club, and the squad is thriving under his direction. Constant managerial turnover brings challenges with new ideas and new personnel, but right now United are definitely on the right track with Michael in charge.”
Lingard remains in close contact with current United captain Bruno Fernandes, who is having a career-best season in the Premier League, notching 18 assists with five matches remaining — just two short of the league’s all-time single-season assist record. When former teammate Paul Pogba recently claimed Fernandes would be a serious Ballon d’Or contender if he played for a club like Manchester City, Lingard says Fernandes deserves a spot in the running regardless of his club.
“100% he should be up there,” Lingard said. “His performances this season for United have been extraordinary. He has to be considered among the best players in the race for the award.”
Asked about his favorite Brazilian footballers, Lingard named global superstars Neymar and 2005 Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldinho. He says he occasionally stays in touch with Neymar, who currently plays for Santos, and he is excited by the prospect of facing the world-class forward if the two clubs meet later in the season. “It’s always a great test to play against the best players in the world,” he said.
Lingard previously went viral for teasing former United teammate Marcus Rashford over a viral moment where Rashford was spotted only talking about the weather with Neymar in a match tunnel. When asked what he would say in the same situation, he laughed: “There would be too many memes about it anyway, to be honest. I might actually mention the Brazilian weather — it is always sunny here!”
Looking ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer hosted in North America, Lingard named Brazil, England and France as the tournament’s top contenders, and he is backing his home nation England to go all the way and lift the trophy. “We’ve always had a very strong chance in big tournaments, and we always perform well when it matters,” he said. “I believe in the lads, I know how good they are, so there’s no reason we can’t win it this time around.”
Lingard is currently signed to Corinthians on a short-term contract running through the end of 2025.