Chelsea midfielder Dario Essugo has described captaining the club as one of the most meaningful moments of his career, after wearing the armband during a 3-3 pre-season draw against Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia.

The 21-year-old said the experience caught him off guard — in the best possible way. Speaking to the club's official media, Essugo made clear how much the gesture from manager Xabi Alonso resonated with him.