At some stage during the 2026/2027 season, there’s a very good chance that Chris Rigg’s name will feature in a Sunderland matchday squad, and maybe even in the starting eleven, for one of our Europa League fixtures.
Whether at home or away, and regardless of the opponent, it really won’t make a great deal of difference, for it’ll represent the latest waypoint on the journey of a player that’s come a long way since that memorable day at Craven Cottage three years ago, when a fifteen-year-old wearing
a ridiculously outsized red and white shirt was cruelly denied a fairytale winning goal by dint of the linesman’s interference.
And do you know something?
When Rigg — who turned nineteen last week — does make his European bow for the Lads, will any of us feel anything other than a deep-seated sense of pride as another one of our own takes his first steps on the second-biggest stage in domestic football? I think not.
Since that afternoon in West London in 2023, Rigg’s rise has been something to behold; the very embodiment of the rebirth of Sunderland’s belief in the promise of youth and what gifted players can do if they’re given the opportunity.
From the backheeled winner against Middlesbrough to his landmark maiden Premier League goal against Aston Villa, Rigg’s progress hasn’t always been linear but it has been notable, with current head coach Régis Le Bris clearly placing as much faith in his ability as his first boss, Tony Mowbray.
If you’re active on Sunderland social media, you may remember a time when Newcastle fans were boasting about how they would eventually swoop in and snatch Rigg from under our noses, citing his supposed black and white allegiance as proof that he was destined to eventually play for the Mags before feigning indifference and talking down his ability when he put pen to paper on a new contract at the Stadium of Light.
Bitterness? Most likely.
Only true acceptance of how gifted a player he is and how high a ceiling he possesses would lead anyone to adopt that kind of mentality (not forgetting just how well he performed during the St James’ Park edition of last season’s derby, of course), and we should be very grateful that two key calls were made regarding Rigg in recent times: his decision to sign a new deal at Sunderland and the fact that he was kept in the fold last season.
The former hinted at strong faith on behalf of Rigg in the club’s direction of travel; the latter that the club recognised that in order for him to continue to develop, he needed to train, play and be fully integrated into an elite environment with quality footballers to guide and encourage him.
Remember how his teammates celebrated so enthusiastically after he opened the scoring for the Lads at Villa Park? That wasn’t merely a token gesture. They know just how talented Rigg is and seemed determined to elevate him onto cloud nine after he opened his top flight account in a Sunderland shirt.
For a young player, such moments are priceless and earlier in the season, it’s fair to say that Rigg went through some tough times as he experienced first hand just how steep the climb from the Championship to the Premier League can be.
At certain times, we couldn’t quite figure out his best position and at others, he seemed to be playing within himself and eager to simply avoid making mistakes.
Indeed, during those early months, what he did with the ball at his feet almost felt secondary. Instead, it was all about mentality and whether he had the self-belief to say “Yes, I’ve earned my place in this team. I am good enough, and I’m going to prove it.”
However, by season’s end, he looked every inch a top flight-class player — something that should be even more obvious by the time the 2026/2027 campaign kicks off. During the summer, he’ll continue to develop physically, and European football will provide him with an even a greater understanding of how he can affect games at this level
In terms of the dynamic between himself and Le Bris, two things seem glaringly obvious: that the head coach understands just how good a player we have in Rigg, and that not overexposing him was — and may still be next season — the key to bringing the best out of him.
It’s just good, shrewd management, and all of the signs indicate that Rigg is responding exactly as he should.
He’s a hard worker and he’s clearly eager to learn, but he also knows how good he is and how good he could be — a very potent combination, as we see on a regular basis from Enzo Le Fée.
If all goes to plan, we should have an even stronger squad from which to choose next season and trying to pick one player to keep a keen eye won’t be easy, but Rigg will certainly be in the mix and I can’t wait to see how he embraces the dual challenge of domestic and European football.
One thing is for sure: there’ll be no fear or sense of ‘imposter syndrome’ whatsoever. He’s just that type of footballer, and I hope he continues to show his worth during Sunderland’s continental adventure.
