Jesse Lingard has turned heads with a bold new hairstyle as he continues to settle into life in South Korea, where he plays for FC Seoul. The former Manchester United and England midfielder shared his fresh look in a recent interview with GQ Korea, revealing he visits his barber at least once a week to stay sharp.
“Every time I get a haircut, I like to brush. I need to be looking fresh,” said Lingard. “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.”
Lingard’s new trim quickly drew praise from old teammate Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who commented “like the hair bro” on Instagram.
The 32-year-old made a surprise move to FC Seoul in February 2024, after being without a club for eight months following his release from Nottingham Forest. Since joining, Lingard has scored four goals in 16 league appearances. FC Seoul currently sits seventh in the K League 1.
Lingard admitted he’s adjusted well to the new environment and style of football. “Life’s good,” he said. “I’ve adapted quickly.”
He’s also embraced Korean cuisine—with the occasional cheat meal. “When we have our days off or I want a cheat meal… it could be McDonald’s, it could be Papa Johns,” he said. “My friend who lives with me only eats chicken. We enjoy Gongbao Chicken a lot, or the K-Dot Barbecue chicken—I like it a lot as well.”
His agent, Tom Keane, recently revealed that Lingard’s contract with FC Seoul includes an unusually large commercial component. “Part of that was Jesse would be paid his football salary,” Keane told The Overlap. “But because of what he could bring to the club, there was a percentage of ticket sales, merchandise, and corporate partnerships.”
Keane added that cultural differences in negotiating the contract were notable. “In Europe, we work with precise legal wording. But the Korean club handled certain parts more informally. It was interesting, but we got to a place we were happy with.”
Reflecting on his journey, Lingard shared: “I’m always up for new adventures. Trying different things, learning different things, trying different foods, and learning the culture. That’s what I’ve been doing.”
