# Dário Essugo

Dário Cassia Luís Essugo (born 14 March 2005) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for La Liga club Las Palmas on loan from Sporting CP. He will join Premier League club Chelsea FC on July 1st 2025.

## Club career

Essugo was born in Odivelas, Lisbon metropolitan area of Angolan descent, and joined Sporting CP's youth academy at the age of 9. On 16 March 2021 he signed his first professional contract and, four days later, before he had even appeared in a match for the junior, under-23 or reserve side, he made his debut in the Primeira Liga with the first team, coming on as a late substitute for João Mário in a 1–0 win against Vitória de Guimarães; at 16 years and 6 days, he became the youngest-ever debutant in the club's history.
On 7 December 2021, Essugo became Portugal's youngest player to debut in the UEFA Champions League, when he took the field in the second half of the 4–2 away loss to AFC Ajax in the group stage aged 16 years and 268 days. He broke another club record the following 5 March, when he surpassed Luís Figo as the youngest starter at 16 years, 11 months and 17 days in a 2–0 home victory over F.C. Arouca.
On 31 January 2024, Essugo was loaned to fellow top-division G.D. Chaves until the end of the season. When it ended, he had been crowned national champion for the second time but also relegated.
Essugo was loaned to UD Las Palmas of the Spanish La Liga on 30 August 2024, being initially registered by the reserves. He made his league debut with the first team on 21 September, playing 74 minutes of the 2–1 away defeat against CA Osasuna. He scored his first goal on 23 November, but in a 2–3 home loss to RCD Mallorca; his compatriot Fábio Silva, also recently signed, also found the net in that match.
On 24 January 2025, Essugo was sent off in the reverse fixture against Osasuna for two yellow cards, and ironically applauded referee Jesús Gil Manzano as he left the pitch. For his actions, he was handed a three-game ban five days later.

## International career

Essugo represented Portugal at youth level. He was selected for the 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Israel, scoring in the quarter-finals against France (2–2 after 120 minutes, 6–5 penalty shootout loss).
Essugo won his first cap for the under-21 team at just 18, in a 3–0 friendly win over Andorra on 8 September 2023.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 14 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Sporting CP | 2020–21 | Primeira Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Sporting CP | 2021–22 | Primeira Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Sporting CP | 2022–23 | Primeira Liga | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Sporting CP | 2023–24 | Primeira Liga | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Sporting CP | Total | Total | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Sporting CP B | 2021–22 | Liga 3 | 15 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| Sporting CP B | 2022–23 | Liga 3 | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 |
| Sporting CP B | Total | Total | 27 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | 0 |
| Chaves (loan) | 2023–24 | Primeira Liga | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 0 |
| Las Palmas (loan) | 2024–25 | La Liga | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 68 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 81 | 1 |
* ↑ Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ One appearance in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

## Honours

Sporting CP
* Primeira Liga: 2020–21, 2023–24