“I remember it took me an hour to get home,” Trevoh Chalobah says with a smile. “I’d gone shopping and people were asking for photos. I thought ‘wow, this is what players at big clubs go through."
It was Chalobah’s goal in Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Crystal Palace that thrust him into the spotlight. In an instant, the 22-year-old went from young hopeful to Premier League star. It was almost overwhelming.
“I remembered dropping to my knees. I had images flashing through my head: my loans, my family. I thought of my mum as well because it was all for her. It was an unbelievable moment.”
It’s certainly one Chalobah deserved. For years he spent time honing his craft in the Chelsea academy. Then came the loans: Ipswich Town, Huddersfield Town, Lorient. But still, there was no guarantee his dream of representing the Blues, his boyhood club, would be realised.
That remained the case when he arrived for pre-season training last summer. Chalobah was prepared for another loan spell away from Chelsea. He certainly didn’t expect his life to be transformed.
“I didn't know what I was doing,” he admits, “I didn't know if I was going to go on loan or if I was going to leave [permanently]. I just made sure I came back fit – I even did extra work before I came back.
“In my head, I kept thinking 'you never know' even though I probably had other plans. But I had nothing to lose. I just wanted to give it my best.”
Chalobah featured in all of Chelsea’s pre-season matches and impressed Tuchel, who kept the academy graduate with the first-team group despite the return of established stars from international duty.
Then came the UEFA Super Cup in Belfast against Villarreal. Chalobah started and looked at ease in the high-pressure environment of European football. Yet even as he celebrated on the Windsor Park pitch, his immediate future was uncertain.
"Even then I didn't know what I was going to do during the season - I was just taking every game and every training as it was," the academy graduate explains.
It was only after Crystal Palace – and his memorable goal – that Tuchel informed Chalobah he would be staying with Chelsea for the 2021/22 campaign. The expectation was he'd learn from experienced professionals Thiago Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger and fill in when required.
However, Chalobah has made 21 appearances this season and has been trusted in big matches – he started and scored in the Champions League demolition of Juventus in November. And on Sunday, Chalobah could secure his third trophy if Chelsea are able to overcome Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
"My life has changed," Chalobah says and the smile returns. "This time last year, I was at Lorient on loan. Now I could win my third trophy with Chelsea. I am still pinching myself to this day. Every game and every training session are proud moments.
"Going on loan three times, you could easily give up and think, ‘I’m never going to get to where I want to be’ or ‘that’s not for me'. I just kept going and I want to be an example for the younger boys coming up.
"It is important to go on loan because you need that experience, I played more than 100 games being on loan so in a way I don’t regret anything. All of my loans got me where I am today."
Chalobah is a popular member of the Chelsea squad. The defender is close to Reece James and Mason Mount – he played alongside the duo for years at youth level – and also has a strong relationship with Antonio Rudiger, who has proved a mentor for the centre-back since his first training sessions with the senior squad in 2017.
"Toni's from Sierra Leone, where I'm also from, and when he first came my brother [Nathaniel, who won the Premier League with Chelsea in 2017] told him to look after me. I used to go round his house, we'd chill, and every time I came over for training, he'd get hold of me and help me.
"He was the only one that season who believed in me and told me to keep going. The next year I went on loan and ended up going on loan three times, and after every season he kept telling me, 'Keep going, keep going. I know you're good enough to play for this football club'.
"He'll always tell me how it is and what I need to do. He'll speak to me like a grown adult, not a little boy. For me, that's what's helped - it's kept me on my toes. You know how aggressive he is on the pitch, and that's how I want to be on the pitch as well."
On growing up and playing alongside Mount and James, Chalobah adds: "We used to ball-boy a lot [while in the academy]. Whenever we had the chance we used to do it straight away. Us grabbing the ball and throwing it to the players felt massive.
"I remember one game, I was next to Mason and I think it was me that threw the ball to [Lionel] Messi and I thought ‘wow, I used to watch him on TV and we’re watching him live.’
"Having played with Mason and Reece, seeing them play for Chelsea was massive. It just motivated me more to believe I could get there one day as well.
"Training with them when they came back from holidays [in the summer] just brought back the days when I was playing with them in the academy. It made me feel comfortable and relaxed."
Sunday's visit to Wembley will not be Chalobah's first with Chelsea. The academy graduate, who signed a five-year contract in November, was part of the matchday squad for Chelsea's 2018 FA Cup final win under Antonio Conte, although he never expected to be.
"I remember it was the day before, leading up to training, Andreas [Christensen] got injured and they told me I'd be travelling with the squad," Chalobah explains.
"Here's me thinking I would be travelling and watching the game in the stands – I was happy with that, over the moon to be travelling – but I got the changing room and I saw my name on the bench. I was about to cry.
"I called my dad, told my family in the family group chat that I'm on the bench, and they were over the moon as they were already coming to the game as well. It was unbelievable, a mad experience."
Chalobah will be hoping for another against Liverpool this weekend and if he does feature against the Reds, it will be his first experience of competing on the Wembley pitch. You suspect it wouldn't be his last either, and not only because of the frequency that Chelsea reach finals.
Earlier in the campaign, with Chalobah in fine form, there was calls from Chelsea supporters for the young defender to be selected for Gareth Southgate's England squad. The call didn't arrive but Chalobah is relaxed about his future international prospects. He is in no rush.
"I think for me that’s my next goal," he says. "My first step was playing at a high level, playing at Chelsea. When you are playing at Chelsea, playing week in, week out then you’ve got the opportunity to play for your country.
"I’ve been playing for England since Under-16s so I don’t want that to stop. I’ve played throughout the whole age group. I don’t want that to stop. I’ve been playing Under-21s so that’s my next step for sure.
"For me, that will always come if I’m doing well. I try not to focus too much on it. I know if I am doing well at my club when the time is ready it will come. Whether it is in the next two years, whether it is in a few months. Whenever it does come, I will be ready."
Given what Chalobah has already achieved, you don't doubt his words. Although international recognition may make getting home from shopping trips just that little bit harder.
