Jesse Lingard, Who Drew Gasps from the 50,000 Spectators, said, “I Want to Gift 3 Points as Soon as Possible”
“I would like to give 3 points as soon as possible to the fans who welcome us like this, said Jesse Lingard (Seoul), the ‘best star in the K-League’ from the English Premier League (EPL).”
Seoul drew 0-0 with Incheon United in the home opening match of the second round of Hana One Q K League 1 2024 held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 10th.
Lingard, who has been attracting attention every day with his ‘surprise arrival' in Seoul, played as a substitute in two consecutive games. 온라인카지노
The stadium was visited by 51,670 spectators, the largest number in the K-League since the paid attendance was counted in 2018.
Many fans visited Sangambeol to appreciate Lingard’s ‘different level of play’.
Even with only 20 minutes left before kick-off, there was a line about 50 meters in front of the ‘Lingard uniform sales booth’.
It is said that there was a fan who took 4 hours to purchase a uniform.
Lingard said at a press conference after the game, “I felt welcomed and loved from the first day I arrived at the airport.
Thanks to the support, I was able to adapt to the K-League faster than I thought.
It was a great help to me to train and play with confidence. “
He said “You are becoming me”
He continued, “I want to show a better side as soon as possible to make the fans feel happier,” and added, “I want to gift the fans with 3 points as soon as possible.”
Unlike the first round, where Jesse Lingard was introduced in the 31st minute of the second half, Lingard entered the field as early as the 30th minute of the first half of the day.
Each of his plays elicited gasps from the 50,000 spectators.
However, most of the exclamations that day were expressions of sadness rather than awe.
This is the first time Lingard has held a press conference after a game in the K-League.
He answered questions calmly and sincerely.
He did not avoid questions related to his disappointing performance and answered them seriously.
Lingard said, “It's a game we could have won or lost.
We didn't create many chances, but this is just the beginning.
I think we need to build up a little more confidence, both individually and as a team.”
Seoul coach Kim Ki-dong, who previously held a press conference, pointed out that Lingard looked tired in the second half.
Lingard acknowledged this and said, “As the coach said, I definitely need to build up my body a little more.
I haven't been able to play 90 minutes for a very long time, so I think it's natural that my body isn't at 100% yet.”
“I will soon have the stamina to run,” he said.
Still, his eyes twinkled as he said, “Today, with over 50,000 fans coming in, I received great energy and felt less tired.
The support was a great help.”
Lingard also missed a crucial scoring opportunity in the last minute.
Lingard connected with a right-footed non-stop shot from the front of the goal area when Kang Seong-jin gave up the ball from the right, soaring over the goalpost.
He looked at the grass for a while and looked regretful.
When asked about this scene, Lingard smiled awkwardly and looked back, saying, “Kang Seong-jin's pass was perfect.
I knew the pass would come at that timing, so my movements were also perfectly aligned.”
He continued, “However, the ball bounced right before I shot, so the shot did not go as I expected.
This is something I have to adapt to.”
Lingard also said, “Even if you make mistakes, you have to keep trying.
That's how you become a better team.
You can't let those mistakes affect your confidence in leading the game.”
When asked what impression he had about the K-League after playing two games, Lingard responded, “I think it's a very competitive league.”
He continued, “I am experiencing that it is a very fast and strong league physically,” and “There are things that are a bit different from what I have been doing in terms of tactics and soccer, so I think I need to adapt to this more quickly.”
