Jesse Lingard wore the nickname "J Lingz" on the back of his shirt as Corinthians beat Barra 1-0 in the Copa do Brasil on Thursday, completing a 2-0 aggregate win.
The former Manchester United midfielder, 33, joined Corinthians in March after leaving South Korean club FC Seoul at the end of 2025, following almost two years in Asia. He moved to Brazil despite interest from West Ham and Wolves.
Corinthians, who also have Lingard's former United teammate Memphis Depay in their squad, are 16th in the Brazilian league after 15 games, though they have won three of their first four matches in the Copa Libertadores.
Lingard has been eased into the side but is becoming increasingly important. He started the second leg against third-tier Barra, with Corinthians winning 1-0 to advance 2-0 on aggregate after he scored the decisive goal in the first leg.
Some British fans were confused to see "J Lingz" rather than Lingard on his usual No. 77 shirt, but there was an explanation.
Generic Drug Day initiative
All Corinthians players wore their nicknames on their shirts as part of an initiative marking Generic Drug Day in Brazil, observed on May 20. The date marks the Brazilian Ministry of Health's 1999 Generic Drug Act, which made high-quality medication more affordable and accessible.
In a social media post showing the adapted shirts, Corinthians said: "In honour of Generic Drug Day, celebrated on May 20th, Hypera decided to highlight the importance of these medications in public health, and the #TimeDoPovo (People's Team) is included to show that the name may be different, but it has the same effect for everyone!"
First Copa do Brasil goal
Lingard scored his first goal for Corinthians in the first leg of the tie with Barra last month, finishing emphatically on the volley after Pedro Raul headed the ball across goal to him from a deflected free-kick. The strike was greeted by huge cheers despite Corinthians playing away from home, and Lingard celebrated with typical panache.
The goal made him the first British player to score in the Copa do Brasil, and Corinthians held on for a 1-0 victory to take a slender lead into last night's second leg.
Deal terms and Lingard's welcome
Lingard signed an initial deal with Corinthians until the end of the year, with a further 12 months to be triggered if certain objectives are met.
"First, I saw the fans at the airport saying 'Go, Corinthians! Go, Corinthians!'", Lingard told the club upon completing his move. "There is a lot of passion from the fans, which is wonderful to see."
"The players welcomed me with open arms, the coach, the director, it was great to meet them. My first impressions: very happy, I can't wait to play."
Career background
Lingard made 232 appearances for Manchester United and won 32 caps for England prior to 2022. He finished his last season with FC Seoul having scored 13 goals in 41 appearances, making his final appearance on December 10 with a goal in a 1-1 draw against Melbourne City in the league stage of the AFC Champions League Elite.
His time in England ended in 2023 when he left Nottingham Forest after a year with the club. He played a key role in England's run to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup but has not played for his country since 2021.