Chris Rigg has been named part of England's under-17 squad ahead of the European Championship finals in Cyprus this week.
Sunderland's teenage midfielder Rigg played a pivotal role in ensuring the young Three Lions booked their spot in this month's finals when captaining the national side to wins over Northern Ireland and Hungary in March. Head coach Greg Lincoln selected his squad following a training camp at St. George's Park before the squad head out to Cyprus, with Rigg featuring.
SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE: Win a pair of Black Cats Bar season tickets for Sunderland's 2024/25 campaign
Rigg was involved in Sunderland's Premier League 2 quarter-final tie with West Ham United last week as Graeme Murty's academy side reached the semi-finals in dramatic fashion with a penalty shootout victory following a pulsating 3-3 draw at Eppleton Colliery. Rigg's involvement, it was revealed, was to provide the 16-year-old with further minutes ahead of his England involvement, with the midfielder now set to play a key role in the under-17s Championships.
“We're just wanting to get him some game time," assistant academy manager John Hewitson said. "Selfishly it improves the team because he's a first-time player.
"It improves us and it gives him some vital match minutes before he goes away with England. So, it was the case of just our medical and sports science team just monitoring his load and understanding that he needed a bit of a breather. And then, with the England camp coming up, we just thought, why not? He adds value to the team, so why not put him in the 21’s?"
READ MORE: Sunderland U21s 'light-years' on from Premier League 2 'whipping boys'
After emerging through two qualification rounds this season, winning five of their six games, England are one of 16 teams taking part in the European Championship finals in Cyprus with the Three Lions handed a difficult group alongside Portugal, Spain and a France team who beat them 2-1 back in March.
England's first group game will be against France at the Ammochostos Epistrofi Stadium in Larnaca on Tuesday evening (6.30pm BST) followed by games with Portugal on Friday, May 24, (6.30pm) and Spain on Monday, May 27 (6.30pm).
Rigg has already represented his country almost 30 times across different age groups, including 11 times at under-17 level. The midfielder has three goal contributions within that time and has been handed the captaincy on four separate occasions.
“We’re delighted to have qualified for the men’s under-17s European Championships and are really looking forward to the tournament kicking off," Lincoln said from the squad's base in Ayia Napa.
"For our players to represent England at a European finals is a moment in their careers that they will remember forever.
"We would like to thank all clubs for their support with player selection and this will undoubtedly be a great development opportunity for all involved. The chance to play at a European finals isn’t something that happens often.
"The players are committed to giving their best and taking as much learning out of this experience as possible. It’s a pivotal time in their careers, and opportunities such as this will play a huge role in their growth as individuals.”
England under-17s European Championship squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Spike Brits (Manchester City), Douglass Lukjanciks (Everton), Oliver Whatmuff (Manchester City)
Defenders: Harry Amass (Manchester United), Samuel Amissah (Fulham), Jaden Dixon (Stoke City), Christian McFarlane (New York City), Stephen Mfuni (Manchester City), Kian Noble (Manchester City), Leo Shahar (Newcastle United)
Midfielders: Jack Fletcher (Manchester United), Ollie Harrison (Chelsea), Divine Mukasa (Manchester City), Callum Olusesi (Tottenham Hotspur), Christopher Rigg (Sunderland)
Attackers: Baylee Dipepa ((Port Vale), Christian Dunbar-McDonald (Manchester City), Luca Fletcher (Manchester City), Shumaira Mheuka (Chelsea), Mikey Moore (Tottenham Hotspur), Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
Read the rules here