Granit Xhaka: The day of boos and the turning point at Sunderland
The equalizer against Everton sent Sunderland to fourth place, then held Arsenal to a 2-2 draw. Since the shock of 2019, Xhaka has been retained by Mikel Arteta and is now the leader of the Black Cats.
At 9pm on a Monday night, Granit Xhaka slid his knee towards the corner flag. The Stadium of Light erupted as the Swiss midfielder scored his first goal for Sunderland, an equaliser against Everton that sent the newly promoted side up to fourth in the Premier League. The next morning, punctual as a matter of routine, he was at the training ground, preparing for an emotional weekend date: a game against Arsenal, with whom Sunderland later drew 2-2. “Everyone knows Arsenal is in my heart,” Xhaka said of the club where he spent seven years.
Xhaka at Sunderland: equaliser against Everton and leadership role
The goal against Everton was more than just a personal milestone; it marked Xhaka’s new status in the No. 34 shirt: leader of a young, soaring team. In the dressing room, he is known as “the second coach” on the pitch by coach Regis Le Bris and his teammates, thanks to his ability to organise, remind positions and dictate the tempo of play. With experience from an unbeaten Bundesliga season with Bayer Leverkusen and 141 caps for Switzerland, Xhaka has guided Sunderland forward with discipline and attention to detail.
His impact is evident in the things that are harder to measure emotionally: consistently among the top in distance covered, progressive passes and interceptions. His influence is unobtrusive, but enduring – exactly the kind of leader a newly promoted team needs to survive and thrive in the Premier League.
First impressions and the boost named Mikel Arteta
When asked about his most memorable moment after four months at Sunderland, Xhaka didn’t pick the goal he had just scored. He talked about the first day he walked into the dressing room and “felt at home”. For Xhaka, first impressions matter – like the day Mikel Arteta arrived at Arsenal in December 2019 and changed everything.
“I will never forget the first day Mikel arrived,” Xhaka said. “We had a big room, but chairs were everywhere, it was chaos. He called all the staff in and said: ‘From the outside, this is how you look: chaos.’ Then everyone put the chairs in the right place. He said: ‘This is how I want you to look every day.’ Then Mikel built the standards, the mentality, the training routine, the warm-up, the recovery… It was unbelievable to work with him.”
2019 Moments: From Cracks with Fans to Career Turning Point
For many, Xhaka is a divisive figure in the Premier League: silly red cards mixed with moments of genius. It all came to a head in October 2019, when he – then captain under Unai Emery – was booed by his own fans against Crystal Palace. He raised his hand to his ear in response, cursed, took off his shirt and walked straight down the tunnel. “I call it a misunderstanding… No, it’s bigger than that,” Xhaka said. “I don’t know exactly what happened that day.”
“My bags were packed. I was ready to leave. I had a contract on the table from another club,” he recalled. “Mikel had two conversations and convinced me to stay. He wanted me to feel I was in the right place. From that day on, everything he told me was exactly as he said it.”
Xhaka admits that at that time, at the age of 26-27, he was not mature enough. He made unnecessary mistakes, received meaningless yellow cards. “My family helped a lot. Alone? I couldn’t do it.” Then he spoke about the day 60,000 people booed him: “It was the worst day of my football life, but also the best day. From that moment, I learned a lot, realized who was real to me. Instead of falling down, I got up with the help of my family, the club, Mikel and my teammates.”
Leading the Xhaka way: disciplined, approachable and unobtrusive
Xhaka says he is studying for his coaching badges, waiting for his UEFA Pro, but “I don’t want to be a ‘second coach’ – I’m still a player.” Yet the way he leads the game shows the mindset of a strategist: steadying the tempo, demanding reasonable team spacing, ready to set the stage for his younger teammates to shine. He was present in the stands when Sunderland U21s played Anderlecht, observing and linking up with the next line.
When asked about his captain role model, Xhaka chose Stephan Lichtsteiner. “He was at Juventus for eight years and won everything. At Arsenal when I was 35, I saw how he worked every day and understood why he was still able to play. A real leader, a true professional.”
Simple philosophy: “Be yourself, don't be fake”
Sir Alex Ferguson once said he just wanted a “leader”, not a handsome man. Xhaka agrees. “Being a leader is about being real, not trying to show that you are the captain. It’s about how you behave in the dressing room, on the pitch, everywhere. Other people will decide if you are the captain or not.”
From the worst day to motivation, Xhaka has turned the noise into positive energy. The equaliser against Everton, the 2-2 draw with Arsenal and the current fourth place are just the early milestones. More importantly, Sunderland have a leader who listens, takes responsibility and lifts the team. The new chapter in the North East is being written with discipline, courage and honesty – qualities that have redefined Granit Xhaka.
