Sunderland’s teenage sensation Chris Rigg is currently outperforming Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham for one key statistic.
Chris Rigg’s rise to first-team stardom has been nothing short of remarkable, with the Englishman cementing his place in Regis Le Bris’ starting XI at just the age of 17.
The England under-18 international started his eighth Championship game of the season in Friday night’s mouth-watering clash at home to Leeds United.
Rigg started the contest brilliantly and opened the scoring for Sunderland with a finish from close range.
This was only the teenager’s fourth goal in a Sunderland shirt but remarkably, it brought a statistic to light that drew comparisons to Real Madrid superstar, Jude Bellingham.
Chris Rigg has bettered Jude Bellingham Birmingham City statistic
Much like Rigg, Bellingham came through the academy of a Championship club, with the midfielder rising to stardom at Birmingham City.
Bellingham made his debut for the Blues just a month after his 16th birthday, starting a 3-0 EFL Cup defeat to Portsmouth in 2019.
From there, the whole footballing witnessed his talent, with the Englishman becoming one of the most sought after youngsters on the planet.
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Bellingham only made 44 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring four times before joining Borussia Dortmund for £25 million, and that is a goal per game record impressively bettered by Rigg.
As pointed out by journalist Michael Graham, Sunderland’s Rigg has scored the same number of goals for the Black Cats (4) in 11 fewer appearances and half the number of minutes.
That is a remarkable achievement considering Bellingham is now one of the best players on the planet at Real Madrid, with the Sunderland teenager looking to emulate such a rise.
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Chris Rigg can go to the very top
Rigg’s goal in the draw against Leeds showcased his clever movement and attacking prowess to sniff out an opportunity in the box.
It showed he’s capable of getting into dangerous areas to score for his side, and that is an instinct that often can’t be coached, with the young midfielder displaying an eye for goal.
Speaking after the game on Friday night, Rigg admitted that he’s been trying to add goals to his game.
“I am trying to get into those areas and add goals to my game and today I was in the right area at the right time,” the precocious talent told Sky Sports.
It’s frightening to think that an individual who displays such maturity on the pitch is still only 17 and in years to come, it’s scary to think the level he could reach as he looks destined to join Bellingham at the very top.