Jesse Lingard Returns to England for Family Matters

Jesse Lingard’s remarkable football journey has taken another sharp turn, with the former Manchester United midfielder granted permission to leave Corinthians temporarily and return to England for family reasons.

The Brazilian club confirmed the news in a statement on their official X account, revealing that the 33-year-old has been authorised by the club’s football board and head coach Fernando Diniz to travel on Thursday, 28 May, and will miss Corinthians’ next league fixture against Grêmio on Saturday, 30 May.

For a player who once settled FA Cup finals at Wembley, it marks another unexpected chapter.

From Wembley hero to Brazilian trailblazer

Lingard walked away from Old Trafford in 2022 after more than 200 appearances for his boyhood club, his standout moment undoubtedly that extra-time winner against Crystal Palace in the 2016 FA Cup final. He moved to Nottingham Forest in search of a fresh start, then pushed his career into new territory with a move to FC Seoul in South Korea.

Two years in Asia only sharpened his appetite for the unconventional. Brazil came next. Corinthians came calling.

Since arriving in São Paulo and making his debut earlier this year, Lingard has done more than simply add a famous name to the squad list. He has written a small piece of history.

The attacking midfielder became the first Englishman ever to score for a Brazilian club. Then he went one better, becoming the first English player to score in the Copa Libertadores, South America’s answer to the Champions League. In a country that treats footballing milestones almost as folklore, those feats matter.

Across 17 appearances for Corinthians, Lingard has two goals and one assist. The raw numbers are modest, but the symbolism is not. An academy product of Carrington, now carving out a niche in the most football-obsessed nation on earth.

His most recent outing came in Serie A, a 45-minute cameo in a 3-1 win over Clube Atlético Mineiro that offered a reminder of his sharpness between the lines and his value as an experienced head in a transitional squad.

Corinthians caught between two realities

The timing of his departure is awkward for Corinthians. Domestically, they are under strain. The club sits 15th in the Brazilian Serie A table, only two spots and three points clear of the relegation zone. Every fixture feels heavy. Every absence is noticed.

On the continental stage, the mood is very different. In the Copa Libertadores, Corinthians are thriving, perched on top of Group E after six matches. The contrast is stark: a side fighting anxiety at home, yet playing with authority across South America.

Lingard has been part of that dual identity. A European name in a Brazilian giant, delivering landmark goals in a competition that defines reputations on the continent.

Now, for at least a short spell, Corinthians must do without him.

The club’s statement was brief and to the point. Lingard has travelled to England to “attend to family matters” and is officially excused from the upcoming league game against Grêmio. No return date was specified, no extra detail offered.

For Corinthians, trying to balance survival instincts in the league with ambition in the Libertadores, the question is simple and pressing: how long will their English trailblazer be away at a time when they can least afford to lose experience, invention and a touch of European know-how?