Soccer players put a target on their backs when they have interests outside of the game. Critics will blame one bad performance for their off-field activities.
Jesse Lingard has an off-the-field persona that is almost as big as his on-field one.
Lingard still wanted to play for England at the World Cup in 2022, even after he moved to Forest.
Lingard knew if he didn't make it, he'd have to play like he did at West Ham.
Lingard wasn't able to show what he was capable of until after he had been injured. He scored his first goal for Forest in November against Spurs in the Carabao Cup, and he felt a lot better.
In the first game back after the World Cup, he grabbed another goal and an assist, and Forest fans will be hoping to see more of that in the coming weeks.
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He used the mid-season break to get back to his best and also to work on his off-the-field activities.
Lingard has his own brands. He is the owner of a team that competes in two video games. He is always looking towards the future. He sees esports as something that is going to get bigger and bigger and is planning to take his clothing line into the metaverse to further engage with fans.
When injuries mean players aren't at their best, critics use these interests as a way to attack them.
Lingard doesn't think that's the case. He says soccer is his number one love, but at the end of the day, he is a human, not a robot. The chance to meet a network of people outside of soccer and to build a business for after his playing career are some of the benefits of his brand.
After the club made more than twenty signings in the summer, it was necessary for him to bond with his teammates. Lingard plays Call of Duty with other Forest players like Ryan Yates and Steve Cook, and he is planning to go skateboarding with a new City Ground player.
He believes that the one-time Brazilian international will be important for Forest this season, and that the two are similar. The other players are doing the cube as well.
As for the World Cup, Lingard, who played in the semi-final against Croatia four years ago, says England have more to offer. The difference between Croatia and England in the semi-finals was due to Croatia's experience in the previous year, according to him.
Lingard wants to recreate the form he showed in the last few games. Lingard used to play for Manchester United and the first game is against them.
He is expanding his JLINGZ brand to China and will be releasing new designs next year.