Brought to the forefront at the age of 16 with Sporting, the young Portuguese Dario Essugo finally seems to confirm the hopes placed in him.
Known for having one of the best academies in Europe, having notably trained players such as Luis Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rui Patricio, Sporting has managed to maintain this reputation with its new generations. Thus, several young players dream of following in the footsteps of their elders, as is the case of relay midfielder Dario Essugo, who quickly made a name for himself within the youth categories.
Early debut for the young Portuguese
Coach Bernardo Bruschy, who worked with him in the U15 category, spoke to Trivela.fr about the young talent trained at Sporting. “He joined the club very early, at the age of 10, and he was already a player who stood out for the intensity he brought during matches and training. He is a player who is eager to learn and is able to easily execute what is asked of him. This made him develop at a faster rate than his teammates of the same age, and this is why he often played with older players, both for club and national team.he revealed to us.
A player who has, above all, extraordinary mental qualities. “He is very focused and hardworking, he has always seen every challenge as an opportunity. From the age of 16, he was able to train with the first team before making his debut against Vitoria SC. I think his arrival in Ruben Amorim's group can be explained by the following abilities: his strength, his ability to resist in duels, the quality of his long passes, his ability to break opposing lines, his humility and his leadership »continued the trainer.
Despite undeniable qualities, Dario Essugo has not experienced linear progression. At Sporting, the young midfielder was notably hampered by the strong competition within the squad. “When he arrived in the team, he had to deal with midfielders like Palhinha, João Mario, Morita, Ugarte, Matheus Nunes, Bragança, then Hjulmand. In this group, it’s very difficult to get minutes and find continuity in your performances”added Bernardo Bruschy, about his former Portuguese player, forced to leave Lisbon to gain playing time.
Back up to jump better
This is how Dario Essugo left Sporting in the form of a loan, so as to join GD Chaves during the winter transfer window of last season. Barely arriving at his new club, the native of Lisbon quickly established himself in Moreno's midfield, where he was able to show his full offensive and defensive range, during the 16 matches played.
Although he was unable to prevent the demotion of the only Trasmontana team in the championship, Dario Essugo still had an interesting six months at Chaves. Thus, Ruben Amorim's staff decided to include him with the Sporting first team during the pre-season. And if he played for a few minutes during the first days of Liga Portugal, the management finally decided to send him to become more experienced in one of the best championships in Europe. The young Portuguese thus joined Spain and the Las Palmas club.
For his first experience abroad, Dario Essugo established himself as a major element of his team, managing to benefit from a starting place in Luis Carrion's eleven. In Spain, some media even claim that Real Madrid or even FC Barcelona would be interested in the idea of offering him.
Scorer for the first time in La Liga last month, Dario Essugo seems to have reached a milestone in the Spanish championship. At just 19 years old, the Portuguese has integrated particularly well into his new environment and will now try to confirm his good performances, before a possible, highly anticipated return to his training club.
Photo credit: David Ramos/Getty Images
A big fan of football in general but especially Portuguese football, Alexis was immersed in this Lusitanian fervor throughout his youth, between laughter, joy and sadness. Attracted by the beautiful game and new talents, he carefully observes the different national championships: from the Bwin Liga to the III Liga.