Latest news with #KLeague1
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Jesse Lingard shows off new look as Man Utd cult hero, 32, stars in GQ Korea advert
JESSE LINGARD shocked fans with a brand new hairdo while featuring in a GQ advert. Lingard, 32, signed for Korean side FC Seoul last February after his deal with Nottingham Forest came to an end. 3 Lingard spent eight months without a side after leaving the City Ground, before penning a two-year deal in the Korean capital. The former Manchester United star has scored four goals in 16 league matches for Seoul this season, who sit seventh in the K League 1. Lingard showed off his new trim in an interview with GQ Korea and admitted to visiting his barber at least once a week. The ex-England international said: "Every time I get a haircut, I like to brush. I need to be looking fresh. "Most of our games are on television, I like to look fresh. "Probably once a week, I get a haircut. Very popular in England, this haircut." Old team-mate Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who spent five years at United, was quick to compliment Lingard's new locks. People online were also quick to react to Lingard's drastic change in appearance. One X user wrote: "He looks like a K-pop star." Another added: "Bro actually looks Korean now." Lingard, who used to be partially blamed for Man Utd's downturn, recently opened up about the crisis at his boyhood club where he spent 22 years. He told BBC Sport: "They will always be one of the biggest clubs in the world and fans will support them through thick and thin. "It might be a long-term project with Ruben Amorim. He knows what he wants to do. "It's tough when you're not in the Champions League to attract players so he was relying on winning the Europa League. "It's harder to recruit when you're not in the Champions League. It's 100 per cent a factor." Lingard moved to West Ham on loan a year before his Forest switch and the Englishman bagged nine goals in 16 games. But he struggled at the City ground, featuring just 20 times before being released after a string of injuries in summer 2023. He revealed "life's good" in Korea and believes he has rapidly adapted to the different style of football. The United academy star also admitted to scoffing McDonalds and Papa Johns since moving to Korea. 3
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jesse Lingard shocks fans with 'fresh' new look - as former Man United star reveals how often he gets his hair cut in South Korea
Jesse Lingard has dazzled fans by sporting a shock new haircut as the former Manchester United star continues to enjoy life in Korea. The 32-year-old, who spent 14 years at boyhood club Manchester United, made a surprise move to FC Seoul in February last year after spending eight months without a side having being released by Nottingham Forest. The former England international has scored four goals in 16 league matches for Seoul this season, who sit seventh in the K League 1. Lingard showed off his new trim in an interview with GQ Korea and also admitted to visiting his barber at least once a week. 'Every time I get a haircut, I like to brush. I need to be looking fresh. Most of our games are on television, I like to look fresh,' he said. 'Probably once a week, I get a haircut. Very popular in England, this haircut.' Former United team-mate Fosu-Mensah was quick to compliment Lingard on his new look Old team-mate Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who spent five years at United, was quick to compliment Lingard's new style, commenting 'like the hair bro,' on his Instagram. Lingard moved to West Ham on loan a year before his Forest switch and the Englishman bagged nine goals in 16 games. But he struggled at the City ground, featuring just 20 times before being released in summer 2023. He revealed 'life's good' in Korea and believes he has rapidly adapted to the different style of football. The United academy also admitted to scoffing McDonalds and Papa Johns since moving to Korea. 'When we have our days off or I want a cheat meal... it could be McDonalds, it could be Papa Johns. 'My friend who lives with me, [he] only eats chicken. So, yeah, Gongbao Chicken, we enjoy that a lot, or the K-Dot Barbeque chicken, I like it a lot as well.' Lingard's agent recently revealed an interesting quirk in his contract, which sees an unusually large commercial element. Tom Keane told the Overlap: 'So, part of that [contract] was Jesse would be paid his football salary but because of his sort of name and what he could bring to the club, there was a percentage of ticket sales, merchandise and corporate partnerships. 'So, like, this quite complex commercial deal. So, that was part of it. But then there was this cultural thing where I saw draft contracts... like that aspect of it was dealt with in like two lines. 'We spoke to the club and there was very much like 'well we've discussed it'. So, they kind of trust us. 'And I was like but 'we don't work like that here in Europe'. 'That was like culturally quite interesting and with that contract we obviously got into a place we were happy with.'
Korea Herald
7 days ago
- Sport
- Korea Herald
K League's top scorer named to S. Korean squad on verge of World Cup qualification
The leading scorer in the South Korean league has earned his first national team call-up with the country on the verge of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Head coach Hong Myung-bo announced his 26-man squad on Monday for the Taegeuk Warriors' two remaining matches in Group B in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors forward Jeon Jin-woo, who is leading the K League 1 with 10 goals this season, made the national team for the first time at age 25. He has never played for any national team in any age group. Thanks to his breakout performance, Jeon was voted the K League 1 Player of the Month for April. Jeon is the only player on this iteration of the team to be called up for the first time, though three players, including FC Midtjylland defender Lee Han-beom, are looking to collect their first cap after receiving call-ups for earlier matches. He is joined by some familiar faces, including captain Son Heung-min, fresh off a UEFA Europa League title with Tottenham Hotspur, and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in, whose French club will play in the UEFA Champions League final this weekend. Conspicuous by his absence on the backline is Bayern Munich center back Kim Min-jae, a longtime mainstay for South Korea. He has been battling an Achilles injury for most of the season and also missed two World Cup qualifiers in March. South Korea will face Iraq in the southern Iraqi city of Basra at 9:15 p.m. on June 5. Then South Korea will host Kuwait at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on June 10. South Korea are leading their group with 16 points on four wins and four draws, three points ahead of Jordan. With the top two teams from each group punching their tickets to the World Cup, South Korea can clinch their spot with at least a draw against Iraq. South Korea have played at every World Cup since 1986 in Mexico. They have had three straight 1-1 draws -- against Palestine in November and then against Oman and Jordan in consecutive matches at home in March. With the two recent draws, South Korea missed out on a chance to qualify for the big tournament early in front of home supporters. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Korea Herald
Underdogs Gwangju FC set to duel richer, deeper Al Hilal at AFC Champions League Elite
Gwangju FC will try to add a new chapter to their underdog story when they take on a heavily favored Saudi Arabian opponent in a knockout match at the top Asian club football tournament this week. Gwangju FC, the lone remaining K League 1 club, will face Al Hilal in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League Elite at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, or 1:30 a.m. Saturday. After the two-legged round of 16, the quarterfinals, the semifinals and the championship final will all be one-and-done affairs. Saudi Arabia will be the centralized host country for all remaining knockout matches, including the final on May 3. Coached by Lee Jung-hyo, Gwangju FC have developed a reputation as a feisty team punching above their weight. In the round of 16 at the AFC tournament, they dropped the first leg against Vissel Kobe 2-0 but then won the second leg 3-0 to advance with a 3-2 aggregate win. Al Hilal will present a whole new challenge. They are among the most decorated clubs in the world, having captured 70 official trophies, including four AFC Champions League titles before the tournament was renamed and restructured ahead of the 2024-2025 season. Their star-studded squad features Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo and Aleksandar Mitrovic. Following Gwangju FC's 2-1 win over FC Seoul in their most recent K League 1 match Saturday, Lee said his team will thrive on their underdog label. "I hope a lot of people will feel inspired by watching us play," he said. "I've told my players that no matter who our opponents are, they should just go play and take on the challenge courageously. The more experience they gain, the better they will become." In a press release issued by the club Wednesday, Lee said he felt confident in Gwangju's chances. "I've analyzed Al Hilal and I think we are better in terms of organization," the coach said. "Football is a team sport and I believe in our team's possibilities. We really want to win the tournament, and we will keep playing our brand of football the way we always have." Midfielder Park Tae-jun, who scored the winning goal Saturday, said he couldn't wait to face Al Hilal. "I'm excited. I know they have some great players but I think we can more than hold our own," he said. "We may not have their individual skills but if we can battle as a team, we should be able to come away with a good result." Gwangju FC, a city-run club with persistent financial issues, can improve their bottom line with a win this week. By reaching the round of 16, cash-strapped Gwangju FC earned US$200,000 in prize money. They made another $400,000 by making it to the quarterfinals. Semifinalists will receive $600,000 each. The runner-up will earn $4 million while the champion will grab $10 million. Last season, Gwangju FC spent about 9.6 billion won in player salaries, or about $6.7 million, according to the K League. (Yonhap)
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lingard 'knew nothing of claims against grandad'
Footballer Jesse Lingard has told his grandfather's sexual assault trial he would have "cut ties" with him if he had been aware of any allegations. The former Manchester United and England player flew in from South Korea, where plays for FC Seoul, to appear at Liverpool Crown Court as a defence witness in the trial of Kenneth Lingard. The court has heard the woman made allegations to police after a 2022 documentary in which the 32-year-old footballer spoke about his grandfather's positive influence. His 86-year-old grandfather, of Northway, Warrington, Cheshire, is accused of historical offences against a woman when she was as young as five, which he denies. The footballer told the court the woman contacted him after the documentary came out. He said: "She was just going on about the documentary and how I let him be part of it when he's done those things. "I was like 'what are you on about, I have not heard nothing about this'." He said the woman told him she was going to call the police. He added: "I said 'call them if you want'. "She popped up out of nowhere, to be honest. It was kind of random." In messages to the footballer, the woman said: "Shame on you Jesse Lingard. Loads of lies. Your grandad Kenneth Lingard molested and sexually abused me and you know he did." The player told the court he had not known anything about the allegations before. He said: "I would have cut ties with him straight away. "My daughter wouldn't be round there. My little sister wouldn't be round there." Asked by Tom Price KC, defending, if he would lie on behalf of his grandfather, Jesse Lingard said: "No, never. If I knew any of these allegations I'd have cut ties with him years ago." Asked why he made the Channel 4 documentary, called Untold: The Jesse Lingard Story, he said: "I made it for mental health reasons and just to show my family, show people how footballers live. "At the end of the day, we're all human. To share that footage and to have my family in it was amazing." The midfielder, who scored a goal in his match in South Korea's K League 1 on Saturday, said he arrived in the UK on Monday night. Asked if the trial had caused him any difficulties, he said: "A few sponsorship deals in Korea have fell through. I've had to hold off on some more sponsorship deals in Korea at the moment." He told the court he had lived with his grandparents from the age of two or three and his grandfather was very supportive with his career. He said: "He basically taught me football, taught all the skills, drove me up and down motorways from Liverpool to Manchester, Crewe, Barnsley, Stoke, to watch me play football. "He's been the man that's got me here today." Mr Lingard, denies 17 counts of indecent assault. The trial continues. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer. Jesse Lingard's grandad denies sex assault claims Woman alleges sex abuse by Jesse Lingard's grandad HM Courts & Tribunal Service
