Jesse Lingard is making history.
The first Englishman to play in Brazil’s top flight, Lingard is enjoying his early days as a Corinthians player and last week scored his first goal in the Copa do Brasil.
There was some surprise when the move was announced, with local pundit Mauro Cezar Pereira describing it as a “strange kind of signing”.
But former Manchester United forward Lingard, who joined Corinthians after leaving FC Seoul, is settling in well.
“It’s still high-level football,” he says. “I think I can play at a high level. For me, it was just about the competition – how big the club is here, how big the league is.
“I had offers on the table, but I still test myself out.”
And Lingard’s motivation is clear when he says: “I’ve come here to lift a trophy.”
In his first major interview since moving to Brazil, the 33-year-old sat down with the BBC to reflect on his new life, Manchester United and coming up against Neymar.
Lingard on life in Brazil
Lingard’s former United team-mate Memphis Depay was among those who convinced him to join Corinthians – and the Dutchman has since helped him settle in.
Lingard made his Corinthians debut against Fluminense at the world-famous Maracana in Rio earlier this month.
It was, he says, “amazing” to be back on the pitch after months without playing and spells of having to train alone.
But within a week manager Dorival Junior had been sacked after an eight-match winless run left them in the relegation zone.
Former Brazil interim coach Fernando Diniz has come in, and the team have since won both their Libertadores games.
Lingard has already felt the intensity of the Corinthians fanbase up close, with supporters turning up at the club’s training ground.
“I’d never experienced it before,” he says. “Fans going into the training ground… speaking to us. You see how passionate they are for us to do well and win. It only gives us more reason to win on a matchday.
“When you fall short, of course, you’re going to get the scrutiny.”
One particular challenge has been the language.
Lingard had a translator at FC Seoul, but is navigating life in Brazil without one.
“Some players speak a little bit of English and do translate a little bit,” he says.
“But I want to pick up Portuguese. The Korean language was very difficult. I picked up a few words, but I feel like here I could actually learn the language.”
And he has already picked up some basics, including how to greet people and order his coffee.
Jesse Lingard has joined Corinthians on a contract until the end of the year
Lingard on Manchester United
It is no surprise Lingard is following developments at Manchester United closely, and he reflects on an “amazing chapter” at his boyhood club.
Lingard spent 20 years at United, leaving in June 2022 when his contract expired. He joined Nottingham Forest the following month.
“We achieved amazing things,” he says. “But there’s going to be a point in time where you move on. For me, it was Korea.”
Lingard knows “everyone was a bit shocked” when he moved there, but says he needed to do so to focus on football and “clear my mind”.
Like Corinthians, United have had a turbulent season, but are on course to return to the Champions League following an upturn in form since Michael Carrick succeeded Ruben Amorim as manager in January.
Lingard says United have come on “leaps and bounds” under his former team-mate and is certain Carrick should be given the job permanently.
“It can be difficult with different managers coming in, having different ideas, different personnel,” he says.
“But I think they’re really on the right track with Michael. I know him from my United days. I know how he operates. The lads are doing really well under him.
“He’s got that Manchester United DNA inside of him. He knows the ins and outs of the club.”
Lingard remains in close contact with United captain Bruno Fernandes.
“He always wanted to see the best of me at United,” says Lingard. “He’s always been a guy that’s been there, that I can always reach out to.”
Fernandes, 31, has provided 18 assists in the Premier League season – two short of the record with five matches remaining.
Former team-mate Paul Pogba said earlier this week that Fernandes would be in contention to win the Ballon d’Or if he played for a team like Manchester City.
Lingard believes Fernandes should be in the running anyway.
“100%,” he says. “His performances at Manchester United this season have been extraordinary. He has to be up there.”
Facing Neymar and the World Cup
Asked to pick his favourite Brazilian players, Lingard names Neymar and 2005 Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldinho.
He says he occasionally speaks to Neymar – still the world’s most expensive footballer having moved from Barcelona to Paris St-Germain for £200m in 2017 – and is relaxed about the prospect of facing him if Corinthians play Santos.
“It’s always good to play against world-class players,” he says. “You can test yourself against some of these guys.”
Lingard once went viral for teasing former United team-mate Marcus Rashford for apparently talking to Neymar about the weather in the tunnel before a match.
Asked what he would say in the same situation, he laughs and says: “There’d be too many memes about that, to be honest. I might mention the Brazilian weather… it is sunny!”
Lingard played 32 times for England – including at the 2018 World Cup, where England were beaten by Croatia in the semi-finals.
Looking ahead to this summer’s tournament in North America, he highlights Brazil, England and France as very strong sides – and fancies the Three Lions to go all the way.
“We’ve always had a good chance,” he says. “I think in big tournaments, we always do well. I believe in the lads. I know how good they are, so I don’t see why not.”-BBC
