Wherever Granit Xhaka goes, he is the boss – this is also the case with his successful debut in Sunderland

Even Granit Xhaka, a top-class footballer who has performed on virtually every stage of world football, was deeply impressed by the ovation from the Sunderland AFC fans after his debut at the Stadium of Light. After the Premier League newly promoted side's first game of the season, the Swiss record-holder performed a lap of honor.

The fans cheered him on and expressed their gratitude that a player of his caliber, who had enjoyed great success with Bayer Leverkusen and previously Arsenal FC, was now playing in the venerable stadium. Xhaka later summed up his emotions on Instagram with two photos and the words: "What a start, what a welcome, what an afternoon – simply magnificent!"

His reaction was by no means exaggerated. In his very first competitive match for Sunderland, Xhaka captured the passionate hearts of the people in the port city in northeast England. And for a few hours, he even led his club to the top of the table. The newcomers, after four years in the second and third tiers, defeated top-flight veterans West Ham United 3-0 (0-0) and were joint first with Tottenham Hotspur until Manchester City overtook them 4-0 in the evening match at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

"We felt the energy of the fans in the stadium," said Sunderland coach Régis Le Bris about his own supporters. Indeed, the euphoria gave the team tangible inner strength. In the match against West Ham, the Frenchman Le Bris opted for a compact, aggressive, and physical defense. Sunderland consistently defended in their own half and waited for counterattack opportunities.

The first two goals came from simple crosses from the half-field, first from the left, then from the right, which striker Eliezer Mayenda (61st minute) and center-back Daniel Ballard (73rd minute) headed into the net from considerable distance. Wilson Isidor also scored in stoppage time following a counterattack.

Although Xhaka wasn't directly involved in any goals, he was, in a sense, the team's spiritus rector. The 32-year-old acted like a quarterback, always staying behind the ball during his own offensive moves to protect the defense. He structured his team's play, set the rhythm, and coached his teammates tactically like a coach. He had already served in this role as a sweeper and ball distributor in the back of midfield at Leverkusen.

His performance caught the eye not only of Sunderland fans, who praised him effusively on social media, but also of the English sports media. The Times judged that Xhaka had a "strong debut," was a leader on the pitch, and clearly won the duel with West Ham's Lucas Paquetá.

After the match, Xhaka addressed his teammates in the dressing room. He spoke primarily about solidarity and the importance of shared suffering on the pitch, according to coach Le Bris, who took over as Sunderland manager in the summer of 2024. He had previously impressed in France at FC Lorient.

The coach had announced before the match that he would appoint Xhaka as captain. The decision was only surprising insofar as the Swiss was a new arrival to Sunderland. In terms of leadership and experience, Xhaka is superior to all other players. Moreover, the team was almost entirely new anyway.

Against West Ham, eight players made their debuts, seven of them in the starting eleven. Le Bris explained that after just ten minutes on the training ground, he knew Xhaka would be the captain of the team. The Swiss player's performance was so convincing.

Xhaka thus continues a special streak that few top international players can boast: Apart from his first professional stint at FC Basel, he has been captain at all his clubs and with the national team – at Borussia Mönchengladbach, at Arsenal FC(albeit only briefly, as he was removed due to an incident), at Leverkusen, and now at Sunderland. "I am incredibly proud," he said dutifully, describing his appointment as captain at Sunderland as a great honor.

He is expected to lead the team to league survival. The working-class club's Premier League survival strategy was summed up by the fans in an impressive choreography. They reenacted the legend of the unruly Lambton Worm from County Durham, who was defeated by a brave local hero. One banner bore the slogan: "The man who wins is the man who believes he can."

And at Sunderland AFC, two men in particular believe in league survival: Xhaka and his fellow countryman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus. The billionaire heir led the club from the third to the first division in four and a half years. In the summer, the son of the late mastermind Robert Louis-Dreyfus, invested €150 million in the squad. On Saturday, Louis-Dreyfus watched the match in the VIP box and cheered on his team.