The ex-Sunderland stars Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg should look to for England inspiration

Sunderland's stunning start to the season will have a number of their young stars dreaming of an England call-up - and they don't have to look far for inspiration.

The Black Cats' young squad are currently sitting pretty at the top of the Championship after nine games, with teenagers Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg playing key roles in the strong start to the season. They are two of the players already being tipped for a future international call-up, and they could follow a long line of Sunderland players to represent their nation while plying their trade at the Stadium of Light.

And as the club enters the second international break of the season, we look back to the last five players to have won a Three Lions cap while playing on Wearside.

Jermain Defoe (2017) - 2 caps

Defoe was an England regular for years, making 55 appearances between 2004 and 2013 while scoring 19 goals in the process. After leaving Tottenham in January 2014, he didn't make his way back into the England side until he rediscovered his old goalscoring form at Sunderland. 

In Defoe’s second full season at the Stadium of Light, then newly-appointed manager Gareth Southgate picked the 34-year-old for the World Cup Qualifiers in March 2017. He started at Wembley against Lithuania, scoring his 20th England goal in the 20th minute at the national stadium as the home side went on to win 2-0.

He made a second appearance in the June qualifiers, coming off the bench in a 2-2 draw against Scotland at Hampden Park. The striker left Sunderland a few weeks later following the club's relegation to the Championship.

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Fraizer Campbell (2012) - 1 cap

An England one-cap wonder, Campbell made his sole appearance for the Three Lions as an 80th minute substitute in a 3-2 defeat at Wembley against the Netherlands. Campbell was called up by interim manager Stuart Pearce just after returning from knee surgery which had ruled him out for 18 months.

The striker scored just one goal in the Premier League in 2011/12, a wonder strike against Norwich just a month before his solitary England cap. Campbell left Sunderland in January 2013 to join Championship side Cardiff City where he won promotion that season.

He returned to haunt his former employers the following season, scoring against Sunderland in a two-all draw at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Danny Welbeck (2011) - 1 cap

A future England regular, Welbeck earned his first cap for the Three Lions in a friendly at Wembley against Ghana while on loan at Sunderland.

Welbeck came on in the 81st minute as England were 1-0 up before Ghana equalised in second half stoppage time through the forward's Sunderland strike partner Asamoah Gyan. Welbeck went on to achieve 42 England caps and scored 16 goals - including the winner against Sweden in the Euro 2012 group stage. 

Jordan Henderson (2010) - 1 cap

Farringdon-born Henderson came through the ranks at the Academy of Light and made his debut in November 2009 as a half-time substitute away at Chelsea.

After a loan at Coventry City, the midfielder made his way as a regular in the Sunderland team in the 2009-10 season and finally got his maiden England call up the following season. His debut came as he started at Wembley in a 2-1 defeat against France.

It was the only international appearance he made while on Wearside as he earned a big move to Liverpool the following summer. Henderson went on to achieve 81 caps for the Three Lions, scoring three goals and captaining the side nine times. 

Darren Bent (2009-10) - 3 caps

Bent made 13 England appearances in total, scoring four goals in that time. He won three of those caps while also wearing the red and white of Sunderland. The first two of those caps came in friendlies against Brazil and Japan, in November 2009 and May 2010 respectively.

He then came off the bench against Switzerland in a Euro 2012 qualifier and scored his first England goal in a 3-1 victory. Bent joined Aston Villa in January 2011 and went on to collect six more caps for the Three Lions, scoring another three goals.