'Really appreciate': Eliezer Mayenda sends message to Sunderland fans and makes pledge for new season

Eliezer Mayenda is reflecting on the last twelve months of his career and his life. There are a couple of words that keep coming up. Crazy is one. Special is another.

Both feel apt. Mayenda returned for pre-season training one year ago having struggled for regular minutes first at Sunderland and then at Hibernian. Now he has firmly established his reputation as one of Europe's most exciting young strikers. He has scored at Wembley, earned more international recognition in the Spanish youth set up. He is also a firm favourite with the Sunderland supporters, an honour which he does not take lightly.

"It was crazy, if I have to say the truth," Mayenda tells The Echo of 2024/25.

"It was a crazy season, difficult at the end. The play-offs were hard, it was really difficult in both the semi final and the final. The scenario of both of the games... crazy. For all the players, fans. I'm just very happy to be promoted. It's a really good feeling to be in the Premier League and I think we deserved it, we worked so hard for it every day and now we just have to go again.

"The Premier League is one of the best of the world, I think we're all excited for this and we're ready to fight again."

Few would have predicted Mayenda's rise last season but it was no accident. Even during a difficult first season on Wearside, the striker impressed staff with his diligence, his work rate and his desire to take on information every day. It was this trait which quickly endeared him to Régis Le Bris and earned his spot leading the line at the start of the season. That attitude also helped Mayenda navigate the difficult moments of the campaign, one which culminated in him being a forward so dangerous and so tough to stop that Le Bris simply could not leave him out of the team.

Mayenda always believed it would be his time. And he's ready to fight again.

"Yeah, it's my mentality," Mayenda said.

"I fight for everything. I fought to be in the team last season and I know it is going to the same this season. I'll take the same mentality in, nothing will change. I will work very well again every day to try and be in the team, and then to try and help my team mates in every game. For every player, all you can do is work every day and wait for your chance. When it comes, do your best to take it."

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Something he became very adept at. As Mayenda had said the final had for so long been difficult, but that equaliser was a move of serious quality. Quick passing through the middle of the pitch and then on Mayenda's part, a speed of thought and quality of finish that left defender and goalkeeper with no chance.

"I think it was the most important goal of my career so far," he said.

"It was special, a final and a goal to help us back into the Premier League. It's a really special goal for me... it was just instinct, when I take the first touch with my left foot it was just instinct, I knew I had to shoot and fast because the defender was coming quickly. I thought, 'Eliezer, you have to shoot fast'. I tried to put a little bit of power, not too much to keep it on target. You train hard every day for moments like this, but it is probably a little bit natural as well."

And things just kept getting crazier. Randy Orton posted a picture of Mayenda replicating his famous celebration, and then it was off to join the Spanish youth team. Mayenda just laughs, still trying to make sense of it all.

He said: "Crazy! It was crazy! I can just say that it was very special. There are some emotions that are hard to describe with words. That was really special. For all of us, my mum and dad as well. Everything came so fast last season, it was not normal but I am ready to go in any situation. It was all so special."

Mayenda's work rate and ability have made him a firm favourite in the support. There is the song and there are flags at every game. That weekend in May the capital was plastered with stickers featuring his name.

"It's the best feeling in the world," he said.

"I try to give everything in a game for the fans. I fight for the club and for the team, and the fans are a big part of our team and our club. I think it is the identity of this team to fight like this for the fans and the club. I appreciate it really, it's a really special feeling."

2024/25 will forever be one of the most important years in Mayenda's life, but it's clear that he is only just getting started.

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