Chris Rigg reveals what is on his bucket list – He’s completed it at Sunderland AFC | OneFootball

17-year-old Chris Rigg has already fulfilled a bucket list dream already, whilst playing for Sunderland.

Sunderland produced a remarkably dramatic turnaround to defeat Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017, and one of their many young gems has already ticked off a part of his bucket list.

The Black Cats finished the 2024/25 regular season in the second-tier extremely poorly but, under the management of Regis Le Bris, they will be back in the top-flight next season.

Northern Ireland international centre-back Daniel Ballard scored a goal in stoppage-time of the second-half of extra-time in their play-off semi-final second-leg against Coventry City to send them through to Wembley Stadium, and the young Black Cats came from behind to defeat the Blades in north London.

Eliezer Mayenda equalised for the Wearsiders mid-way through the second-half before academy graduate Tommy Watson, who is Brighton and Hove Albion-bound, scored a stoppage-time winner for Le Bris’ side.

It was the youngest eleven ever put out in a Championship play-off final by Le Bris and one of those young stars, Chris Rigg, has already ticked off something on his bucket list at the age of just 17.

Rigg ticks Wembley off the bucket list

On page 86 of the 2024/25 play-off final programme, Chris Rigg was asked what was on his bucket list and the youngster simply replied: "To play at Wembley."

The 17-year-old attacking midfielder, already with a burgeoning reputation for his jinking style of dribbling and excellent technical ability, is bound to play many times for his national side at the national stadium, but he has already achieved the feat with his club.

Rigg came through the academy at Sunderland and made his professional debut at the age of 15 in an FA Cup third round tie against Shrewsbury Town in January 2023 under Tony Mowbray.

He didn’t make his league debut for the club until the following season, where he scored twice in 21 appearances as they finished 16th in the Championship, but has established himself as a key man in the eleven this time around.

Rigg scored four goals and provided one assist during the regular season before starting the play-off final over the weekend and once again showing his class and quality at such a young age.

The future for Sunderland

Rigg, along with club captain Dan Neil, has been linked with a move to David Moyes’ Everton this summer as the Toffees prepare to move into the new Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.

Whilst promotion to the Premier League may not be enough to keep Jobe Bellingham at the club, with the former Birmingham City midfielder now in talks over a move to Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, it may well keep a few of their key talents, with Rigg being one of them.

Sunderland have an impressive homegrown core and Rigg is one of the most fundamental components of that, so they will be keen to continue his development at the Stadium of Light as a Premier League club.