Crysencio Summerville: the young European champion who shattered a Liverpool legend and wrote Bono into the history books

Summerville was born in the Dutch city of Rotterdam on 30 October 2001, to a family of Surinamese origin. He is 24 years old and plays primarily on the left wing.

He joined the Feyenoord academy at the age of six and stayed for 10 years, signing his first contract in March 2018 before he had even turned seventeen.

That same year, Summerville fired the Netherlands youth side to glory at the UEFA Under-17 European Championship. He scored against Germany in the group stage and came off the bench during the final win over Italy.

His return to the club after that tournament did not go smoothly. Feyenoord loaned him out to the Dutch second division, then to ADO Den Haag, before he came back in 2020.

Summerville didn't hang around long at Feyenoord after returning from ADO Den Haag. Leeds United spotted him and brought him into their under-23 side, then managed by Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa.

A single season was all it took to earn promotion to the first team. His impressive performances then persuaded him to extend his contract until 2026 at the start of the following campaign, 2022-2023.

That season proved exceptional in Summerville's career. He struck some crucial goals, none bigger than the 89th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield.

The strike ended Liverpool's historic 29-match unbeaten run at Anfield. It also handed Leeds United their first win over Liverpool on that ground since 2001.

Summerville's joy came with a sting in the tail. Leeds United went down from the Premier League at the end of the season, and although some speculated he would leave, he stayed put in the Championship.

That 2023-2024 campaign brought the best football of his career. He scored 21 goals and provided 10 assists, claiming the title of best player in the Championship and a place in the season's best XI.

Leeds still couldn't get back up. A 1-0 defeat to Southampton at Wembley in the play-off final ended their hopes, yet Summerville himself returned to the Premier League.

West Ham United came calling once the season finished, paying 25 million pounds sterling to sign him. His first season with the club ended halfway through, cut short by a serious injury he sustained during January 2025.

Somerville rediscovered his form in his second season, though. Despite West Ham's relegation, he scored 7 goals and provided 5 assists to earn a place in the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

His star shone brightly at the tournament. The Netherlands crashed out in the round of 32, but Somerville still managed two goals and two assists across the four matches he played.

The most famous moment for the Dutch forward, though, came in the penalty shootout against Morocco in that round of 32. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved his spot-kick while standing still, refusing to dive.

Praise poured in for the Moroccan after such an unusual stop, especially once he repeated the feat at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Here's the strange twist. Bounou's legendary save knocked the Netherlands out of the 2026 World Cup, and now he will line up alongside Somerville at Al-Hilal. Yesterday's rivals really can become today's friends.

Click here to read article