Jesse Ellis Lingard (born 15 December 1992) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger. He has won the UEFA Europa League, FA Cup, FA Community Shield, and EFL Cup, being one of only three players to score in all of the latter three finals.
Lingard made his senior debut while on loan at Leicester City in 2012, and spent time on loan at Birmingham City and Brighton & Hove Albion during the 2013–14 season and at Derby County in 2015. He broke into the Manchester United first-team under Louis van Gaal in 2015, and was a regular in the side until 2019, when he fell out of favour under Ole Gunnar Solskjær and struggled to regain his place in the team. A productive loan spell with West Ham United in 2021 saw Lingard rediscover his form, scoring nine goals in 16 appearances. He returned to Manchester United for one more year until he was released at the end of the 2021–22 season. He signed a one-year contract at Nottingham Forest, before being released at the end of the 2022–23 season.
He represented England at under-17 and under-21 levels, before making his senior international debut in October 2016 and representing his country at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where England finished fourth.
Early life
Jesse Ellis Lingard was born on 15 December 1992 in Warrington, Cheshire, and attended William Beamont Community High School.
Club career
Manchester United
Youth career
Having played for Fletcher Moss Rangers and Penketh United as a youngster, Lingard joined Manchester United's youth academy at the age of seven and progressed through the age groups. He was part of the Manchester United team that won the 2010–11 FA Youth Cup, before signing a professional contract in July 2011.
2011–12 season
Lingard was first included in a senior matchday squad on 30 November 2011, in the League Cup quarter-finals against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford, remaining unused as Sir Alex Ferguson's team lost 2–1 after extra time. He had his only other call-up of the season on 4 January 2012, again unused in a 3–0 away Premier League loss to Newcastle United.
2012–13 season: Loan to Leicester City
On 6 November 2012, Lingard and teammate Michael Keane joined Leicester City on loan for a month. He made his competitive debut later that day, in a 0–0 Championship draw away to Bolton Wanderers, coming on as a substitute for Martyn Waghorn in the 85th minute. His loan was later extended to 2 January 2013, and he totalled five appearances for the Foxes.
2013–14 season
Lingard was selected in the 19-man squad for Manchester United's 2013 pre-season tour. He scored his first two goals for United in a 5–1 friendly win against the A-League All Stars in Sydney on 20 July, the first of which was the club's first goal under new manager David Moyes. After the match, he said "I believe in myself but I have to start believing in myself more". He also scored against Yokohama F. Marinos and Kitchee SC to finish the tour as top scorer with four goals in as many matches.
Although he had hoped to "skip the loan stage this time and break straight through" at Manchester United, Lingard joined Birmingham City on a month's loan on 19 September, and went straight into the starting eleven for the Championship match against Sheffield Wednesday at St Andrew's two days later. He opened the scoring after 20 minutes with his first goal in senior football when goalkeeper Chris Kirkland parried Chris Burke's shot, completed his hat-trick 13 minutes later, and scored a fourth in the second half to secure a 4–1 win. Lingard was unavailable for Birmingham's League Cup third-round tie because Manchester United did not want him cup-tied, then in his third league match, he made up for missing a penalty, awarded when he was fouled apparently outside the area, with an 89th-minute header to complete a 4–0 defeat of Millwall. Agreement was reached to extend Lingard's loan until 14 December, but he then missed three matches while receiving treatment at Manchester United for a knee injury. The loan was further extended, to 1 January 2014, but Lingard was suspended for the last two matches of the spell. He was sent off during a match against Wigan Athletic on 26 December for a lunge on Jordi Gómez immediately after being refused a free kick when he appeared to be fouled.
Although Birmingham hoped to extend the loan, Lingard returned to Manchester United and was an unused substitute in the match against Swansea City on 11 January.