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During my thirty-year love affair with Sunderland AFC, the list of Lads’ captains I could honestly describe as truly inspirational; players with whom you’d want to be in the trenches when the chips were down and the odds of success stacked against you isn’t exactly lengthy.
Double promotion-winning skipper Kevin Ball was one. Steve Bould was another and the likes of Dan Neil also did a fine job, but assuming we can discount Dean Whitehead and Gary Breen as merely effective skippers as opposed to truly totemic presences in the red and white ranks, we’ve not exactly been blessed with legions of generational torch-bearers.
That is, until now, because the current wearer of the armband is a man who not only leads by example but has lifted the standards around the entire first team, bringing a winning attitude and a hard-nosed, no-nonsense approach to everything he does: Granit Xhaka.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland in action during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Everton at Stadium of Light on November 03, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland in action during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Everton at Stadium of Light on November 03, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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At the risk of sounding starstruck, our summer pursuit and eventual signing of Xhaka is something I still haven’t fully got to grips with and for the younger generation of Sunderland supporters, it surely represents one of the most jaw-dropping signings we’ve ever made; a genuine “He now plays for us?!?” moment.
Fans of a certain vintage may remember when, back in the summer of 2007, we were “linked” with a move for then-Villarreal striker Diego Forlan. Of course, nothing eventually came of that but when Xhaka touched down on Wearside, bringing with him trophy-winning pedigree and world class credentials as a top twenty Ballon D’Or candidate, it felt like a genuine game changer for our club, something that’s been borne out during the early stages of the season.
Xhaka’s latest tour de force — an utterly inspirational display as we rallied from 0-1 down to secure a solid home draw with Everton — was the latest in a lengthy run of powerhouse performances from the Swiss international midfielder, and Jamie Carragher’s post-match appraisal on Monday Night Football told a story in its own right.
After the Lads fell behind thanks to a superb goal from Iliman NDiaye, we were forced to dig into our reserves of resilience once again and although even he was guilty of one or two slack passes, the former Arsenal captain was at the heart of the revival as we prevented David Moyes from exacting some form of revenge on his former club.
He chased relentlessly, tackled with gusto and was on hand to haul us level as we made the perfect start to the second half — which we eventually dominated and could well have used as the springboard for victory.
It was once said of Wayne Gretzky that during his Stanley Cup-winning heyday with the Edmonton Oilers, he would force his teammates to play up to his level or they would be embarrassed.
In my view, the same is true of Xhaka and although he’s one of many incredibly accomplished technical footballers in the ranks, what sets him apart is the way in which he inspires everyone — teammates and fans alike — as well as his ability to drive a young and relatively inexperienced Premier League side forward and ensure that there’s no such thing as a cause that’s lost.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland celebrates infront of Sunderland fans during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Everton at Stadium of Light on November 03, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland celebrates infront of Sunderland fans during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Everton at Stadium of Light on November 03, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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His equaliser against Everton might’ve been blessed with a touch of good fortune but he was in the right position to take advantage of any break of the ball, and as we saw with his assists for Wilson Isidor during our clash with Aston Villa and Omar Alderete against Nottingham Forest, he’s more then capable of setting up goals for others as well.
There might’ve been a bit of scepticism from rival fans when he joined Sunderland (“Can he still do it in the Premier League?”, and so on), but based on the evidence of what we’ve seen so far, it looks like an utterly inspired piece of business — something that shows exactly how far we’ve travelled in recent times. He’s clearly developed a keen understanding of what our supporters expect to see from the players and in turn, the fans have found a true hero — one of many — behind which they can throw their weight.
Years from now, hopefully when we’re continuing to progress as a Premier League team and Xhaka never has to pay for a drink or a meal in Sunderland again, we’ll be able to look back and reflect on the fact that yes, he did once wear the red and white stripes and that it wasn’t a dream — and we’ll smile when we do so.
Truly world class midfielders haven’t passed this way very often, but he’s just that kind of player and we’re very lucky to have him.