Jesse Lingard shows face at first FC Seoul match after surgery

Despite Lingard’s lack of impact on the team, he still seems popular as multiple fans asked for his autograph ahead of the home fixture between FC Seoul and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on Saturday, which Lingard watched from the stands.

FC Seoul midfielder Jesse Lingard waves to fans after a K League 1 match against Incheon United at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on March 10. [YONHAP]

FC Seoul midfielder Jesse Lingard has been out of the squad due to injury for a month but has stayed active off the pitch, making a brief appearance at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul ahead of kickoff on Saturday while posting regularly on social media.

Lingard shared an Instagram post on Friday with an image of the following words: “For your own peace of mind, let things be.” The post came days after he underwent surgery on his knee, which has kept him sidelined for over a month.

An image shared on Jesse Lingard's Instagram on Friday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Alongside the image, Lingard posted a picture of him sitting in a couch in what appears to be his residence in Seoul.

The exact intent behind the post was unclear, but it came at what may be a tough time for Lingard, who has missed the past five league games for FC Seoul due to the injury he picked up last month.

The former Manchester United midfielder has yet to see success at FC Seoul. After making a surprising move to the capital side ahead of the 2024 K League 1, he has only played three league fixtures during which he recorded zero goals or assists.

His performance during a game against Jeju United on March 16 even drew criticism from manager Kim Gi-dong, who said “fame doesn’t win football games.”

Lingard’s injury does not seem to be severe, however, as he shared a short clip of him running on a treadmill in an Instagram story on Saturday. Kim also said on April 13 that Lingard will need about one month before returning to the pitch.

FC Seoul midfielder Jesse Lingard runs on a treadmill in an Instagram story shared on his Instagram on Saturday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Despite Lingard’s lack of impact on the team, his popularity still seems high, with multiple fans trying to get his autograph ahead of the home fixture on Saturday where Lingard watched the game between FC Seoul and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors from the stands.

FC Seoul midfielder Jesse Lingard, in black, signs an autograph at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul in a photo shared on his Instagram story on Saturday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

FC Seoul suffered a 3-2 loss to Jeonbuk, going three league games winless — a goalless draw with Daegu FC on April 7 and 4-2 loss to the Pohang Steelers on April 13.

With nine points in hand from two wins, three draws and three losses, the capital side sit in sixth place on the 12-team table as of press time Sunday. The points gap with league leaders Steelers is eight points.

There is still plenty of time for FC Seoul to bounce back, as it has been only a little over a month into the season.

A resurrected Lingard could invigorate FC Seoul’s attack, as pace and tidy crosses were his forte during his glory days.

FC Seoul will next play Daejeon Hana Citizen in Daejeon on April 27.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]