Jesse Lingard 'proud' of historic Corinthians debut despite 'tough' result as Englishman gets first taste of Brazilian football

The former Manchester United man entered the fray at half-time, replacing Breno Bidon with Corinthians already trailing 2-0. His task was made significantly harder when team-mate Allan was shown a red card for an offensive gesture, leaving the visitors to navigate much of the second half with only 10 men.

Lingard did not let the numerical disadvantage dampen his impact, however, as he looked lively and creative in possession. He almost marked the occasion with a goal, but his goalbound effort was kept out by a fine save from Fluminense’s veteran goalkeeper Fabio. The match eventually ended in a 3-1 defeat.

Despite the bittersweet nature of the final scoreline, Lingard etched his name into the history books on Wednesday night. By coming off the bench during the clash in Rio de Janeiro, the 33-year-old became the first Englishman to play in the top division of Brazilian football. He wrote on Instagram: "Proud to make my debut for Corinthians, tough result to take but we have to stick together and keep going."

While Lingard navigated his first minutes in Brazil largely as a solo English representative, he is not without friends in the Timao dressing room. He is yet to link up with former United colleague Memphis Depay, who is out with an injury, but the duo are expected to form a potent creative hub in the coming weeks. The squad also features former Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista, providing another layer of Premier League experience to the side.

Corinthians currently sit 14th in the league table, having picked up just 10 points from nine matches. They next face Internacional on Sunday, and Lingard will be hoping to start and make a big impact for his club.