Ex-Man Utd Star Jesse Lingard Fined for Breaking Road Rules

Lingard went viral after posting a video of the incident

September 20, 2024
12:39 pm

Jesse Lingard has found himself in a bit of a pickle with the South Korean authorities!

The former Manchester United star got slapped with a fine for breaking a couple of road rules while zipping around on a scooter in Seoul.

On September 16, Lingard went viral after sharing a cheeky video of himself riding a kickboard through the trendy Apgujeong-dong area. The 31-year-old looked pretty cool in his tracksuit and baseball cap, but it seems he didn’t quite know the rules of the road.

According to South Korean law, you need a valid driver’s license to ride a scooter and, of course, a helmet is a must! The Seoul police confirmed that Lingard was fined a total of 190,000 Won (about £106) for his little road rule mishap.

A source close to Lingard told South Korean news agency Newsis that any suggestion he was tipsy during the ride was “nonsense.” The source, as reported by The Daily Mail, said: “Lingard had no idea. He didn’t know that he needed a license to ride it. His mum and younger sister came to Korea for a trip and had a meal in Apgujeong-dong. [Allegations he was] drinking is nonsense.”

Lingard hopped on Instagram earlier this week to say sorry and reminded everyone to “check the rules” before hopping on a scooter. Addressing his 9.2 million followers, the ex-Man Utd star said: “I didn’t know the rules of wearing a helmet or having a license as well. In England, and probably in Europe as well, you can just pick up an e-scooter off the street and start riding it. Anyone visiting South Korea, obviously, you have to check the rules. It can be dangerous. Safety first for everyone. Obviously, I won’t do that again.”

Lingard, who has played 32 times for England, joined FC Seoul in February and has since appeared in 18 games for the K-League side, scoring four times.

Last year, the midfielder was fined £57,000 and banned from driving for 18 months after admitting to drink driving in his £200,000 Lamborghini. He was pulled over by police in Manchester while double the legal alcohol limit. In a statement last July, Lingard said: “I want to acknowledge my mistake and publicly apologize for my unacceptable actions. I completely understand and accept the consequences of my mistake by putting the lives of others at risk. I am sorry to all my fans and anyone who has followed and supported me throughout my career. I accept the sentence of the court and the fine.”