Enjoy the Ride – Sunderland’s World Is Changing

As I stood queuing outside the Stadium of Light club store on Friday morning, awaiting the release of Sunderland’s new away strip for the 2026/27 season, there was a delicious irony as a black cloud appeared and a bolt of lightning struck the banks of the River Wear – a reminder, perhaps, from Elvis Presley himself that he is indeed in the building.The lightning bolt, synonymous with arguably the greatest performing artist of all time, adorns the neckline of the Presley-themed pink and black away jersey that Régis Le Bris’ side will wear in the Premier League and Europa League next season. As a man who once shocked audiences across America, I’m sure he’d appreciate just how well Sunderland’s youthful charges are performing at the World Cup Stateside this summer.

It’s been truly inspiring watching just how well some of our players have performed on the big stage, particularly over the last week or so. Brian Brobbey has stolen the headlines with a couple of Man of the Match performances for the Netherlands, muscling his way into contention in a style that only he could manage, before notching three goals with the type of performances Sunderland supporters became familiar with last season.Then, of course, there has been Nilson Angulo, who was rewarded with a start for Ecuador against Germany in their final group game and repaid his manager’s faith with an unbelievable goal and, like Brobbey, a Man of the Match award to boot.

And who could forget Wilson Isidor, who scored what has been the goal of the tournament so far for his Haiti side in their final group game against one of the meanest sides on the planet right now in Morocco – something that, in typical Isidor fashion, has firmly planted him in the spotlight.Isn’t it just… nice?

For once, Sunderland are no longer the butt of the jokes and, instead, TV commentators are tripping over themselves to talk our club up during their World Cup coverage. It feels as though few clubs have been mentioned as often by the pundits,