When Trai Hume signed for Sunderland in January 2022, the club were a League One side and he cost just £200,000. He put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half-year deal after being told the club had ambitions for "bigger and better things." Nobody — least of all Hume himself — could have imagined that, precisely four and a half years later, he would score the goal that helped launch the Black Cats into European football.

That is exactly what happened on the final day of the Premier League season. Sunderland needed to beat Chelsea at the Stadium of Light to secure a place in next season's UEFA Europa League, and they delivered a 2-1 victory to send their supporters into raptures.

Hume's first-time volley past Robert Sanchez ignited the celebrations, and by full time, Sunderland had confirmed their return to European competition for the first time in 53 years.

"Last year was emotional for me as it was a dream to play in the Premier League. I didn't think we could get here and make Europe, but we have done it. We will give it everything next season." — Trai Hume

From Wembley to the continent

The journey began in earnest four years ago when Sunderland beat Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 in the League One play-off final at Wembley Stadium. Promotion to the Championship followed, then a play-off ascent to the Premier League last season — secured by an injury-time winner from Tom Watson against Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final.

The pivotal moment in the club's trajectory came when head coach Regis le Bris took charge in 2024. After sixth and 16th-place Championship finishes under previous management, Le Bris transformed the culture and ambition at the club.

"It's amazing. Outstanding. The stadium is crazy now and the fans deserve this. The planets aligned today but we needed to do the job. We were only focused on our game — even at half-time." — Regis le Bris

Sunderland finished seventh in the Premier League with 54 points — just six behind Liverpool in the Champions League places — recording 14 wins, 12 draws, and 12 defeats. They are only the 10th newly promoted side in Premier League history to qualify for Europe, and just the fifth to achieve it via a league finish, following Newcastle (1993–94), Nottingham Forest (1994–95), Ipswich Town (2000–01), and Wolves (2018–19).

Smart spending makes the difference

Sunderland invested £161 million across 15 new signings following promotion. The approach stood in sharp contrast to Leicester, Southampton, and Ipswich the previous season, who spent a combined £276.5 million yet were relegated with the lowest combined points total of any relegated trio in Premier League history.

Brian Brobbey, signed from Ajax for a reported £21.6 million, top-scored for the club with seven Premier League goals. Nordi Mukiele, who joined from Paris St-Germain, provided defensive leadership, while the £13 million paid to recruit Granit Xhaka from Arsenal looks a bargain given his control in midfield. Goalkeeper Robin Roefs and the energetic Noah Sadiki also drew praise throughout the campaign.

Former England striker Ellen White, speaking on BBC Final Score, described the Stadium of Light as a fortress and reserved special admiration for the supporters. "Those fans going away in Europe next season, they must be buzzing," she said.

Former striker Jermaine Beckford was equally effusive: "Le Bris has done an unbelievable job at Sunderland getting the players together and making them all believe that they can do it."

"It's a massive collective achievement. What we showed last season and this was being together. We can be ambitious, but we have to work hard." — Regis le Bris

Hume, reflecting on a journey that began in the third tier, summed up the mood inside the dressing room: "It hasn't sunk in yet. Coming up to the start of the season, I don't think anyone gave us a chance to stay up, let alone Europe. We've worked our socks off and fully deserve that."

With Europa League football now confirmed, the question for Sunderland is whether they can sustain this momentum on the continental stage.