If Jesse Lingard is dancing, then you know you’re in big trouble.
The 31-year-old ended the K-League 1 season with an assist in a 3-1 victory over Gimcheon Sangmu FC.
And that contribution, adding to the six goals and two more assists from his 26 league outings, has helped his club to a fourth place finish.
Lingard was clearly delighted with the season’s climax, completing his first campaign in South Korea.
He took the decision to join FC Seoul after being released by Nottingham Forest.
And he’ll feel the move is fully justified given his experiences in Asia so far.
He posted on Instagram: “Top 4. What an amazing feeling, thank you to the fans, staff, and players for making me feel welcome from the start, it’s been a long season but we showed just how good we can be.”
That was the caption to a quartet of images from the 3-1 victory over Gimcheon Sangmu FC.
And it was party time in the changing room after as Lingard and pals, namely Yazan Al-Arab, Ronaldo Tavares and Lucas Silva got their groove on, dancing in delight.
And why wouldn’t they?
Ordinarily fourth place would not be good enough for a spot in the AFC Champions League Elite.
However, the fact Gimcheon Sangmu FC finished third, despite losing the final game, ensured FC Seoul will enter the competition in the Play-Off phase.
That’s because Gimcheon Sangmu FC are part of South Korea’s armed forces sports division and military teams are banned from AFC competitions.
So Lingard and his teammates will find themselves up against some of the best clubs from around the AFC.
And that may well include Lingard’s former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
Al Nassr currently sit third in the Saudi Pro League and if they finish in the top three then it would confirm their place in next season’s AFC Champions League.
Lingard recently explained his break from football after leaving Nottingham Forest was linked to his grandmother falling ill before passing away in November 2023.
He told The Times: “Behind every footballer there’s a story the public aren’t aware of and I’d like you to know mine. It might explain how I got here — and help other players dealing with private strife.
“‘The only cure was rest [for injury] but, in the summer, when I was out of contract, my nan got ill. She was an amazing woman — Pamela Lingard — and she and my grandad brought me up while, for long parts of my childhood, my mum battled depression.
“But over the course of last summer, she became really poorly. She was in and out of hospital and though I was training hard and missed being at a club, it felt like being out of contract was God’s plan: I’m not going to give you a team right now, you need to stay home and be with your family.
“So that’s what I did. I spent as much time as I could with them and in November, when nan passed away, grandad took it really hard.
“He was depressed and suffering dizzy spells and was hospitalised himself. He needed looking after too, and there was the funeral to organise and a speech to give.
“I believe things happen for a reason and that, while my family was suffering, it was just written for me to take a break from playing. However, after Christmas last year it was time to start my comeback.”
