Manchester United winger Jesse Lingard helped his cousin Gabby George get through a tough patch after she tore her ACL last February.
George currently plays for Everton in the Women’s Super League, with the club currently 10 th in the division.
In a game against Bristol City last season, George suffered the horrific injury and her surgery was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
That wait added an added mental strain for the 24-year-old but she told talkSPORT that Lingard was there for her to get her through the tough times.
“I speak to him quite a lot and especially when I’m going through tough patches myself," she said.
"As a footballer, everyone thinks it’s a smooth road. During my ACL, he kept giving me pep talks and pushing me on.
“He does try to watch as many games as he can, now it’s on Sky Sports. I think he was in the warm-up room and he had it on Sky Sports watching one of the games. He does try and keep up and watch as many games and I try and watch as many of his games as I can.”
Lingard is currently struggling for regular game time with Manchester United this season but scored the winning goal against West Ham United in the Premier League and assisted Cristiano Ronaldo for a late winner in the Champions League against Villarreal.
George said that his hard work is an inspiration to not just her but others as well, saying: “Jesse’s been doing really well for himself. He’s worked hard and trained hard and he’s a great idol not just for me, but for a lot of people that have struggled in the past and it shows that you can always come back. He’s a great inspiration for me and for everyone else.”
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