Giant Sunderland mural charts rise to Europe as TNT Sports backs city-centre artwork | OneFootball

Sunderland’s rise from League One to Europa League qualification is being immortalised in a giant mural in the city centre.

Measuring 11 metres by five metres, it covers the back wall of Victoria’s Loft and Street Bar and is due for completion later this week. Commissioned by TNT Sports, it is being painted by local artist Kathryn Robertson.

Sunderland Echo reports that Robertson, from Silksworth, designed the work to chart the club’s rollercoaster back to the elite. It spans promotion from the Championship and a first European qualification in over half a century.

Among the scenes, she chose the moment Enzo Le Fee kissed the ball before the corner that preceded Dan Ballard’s play-off semi-final header.

The Chelsea match, when European qualification was sealed, appears alongside Luke O’Nien’s disbelief. Granit Xhaka appears with the words “this is only the beginning”, and Brian Brobbey features after his equaliser against Arsenal. Academy product Chris Rigg is also depicted.

The Europa League trophy rests on white clouds, which she says symbolises a dream that the club could perhaps lift one day. Head coach Regis Le Bris and fans on Keel Crossing are also central to the design.

TNT hope the mural will be finished before the Premier League game against Arsenal on Saturday 12 September, then the Europa League opener with AZ Alkmaar on Wednesday 16 September. Both fixtures, along with all of Sunderland’s Europa League games, will be broadcast live on TNT.

Source: Sunderland Echo

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”