The China Mail - Dortmund captaincy 'dream come true' for 19-year-old Bellingham

Bellingham, 19, was named skipper for Dortmund's 3-2 loss against Cologne after Mats Hummels was ruled out due to illness.

Bellingham was added to the Dortmund leadership group in the summer alongside Marco Reus and centre-back Hummels.

Speaking after the game, Bellingham told the Bundesliga website the honour was "a dream come true."

"When I first signed for this club, it's something that I never thought possible - until I met the players.

"(Then) I realised that they could give me the belief to one day be captain."

Bellingham set up Julian Brandt's opening goal in the first half but his side suffered a third loss of the season.

"It's something that other people always mentioned to me, but I just brushed it off," Bellingham said of early speculation that he would one day be captain.

"I'm really grateful to be given the chance today, but ultimately I am disappointed because we lost the game."

- 'He deserves it' -

Bellingham is in his third season in Dortmund and has been a regular in the starting lineup.

"He's someone who leads from the front. He didn't get it for free -- he worked for it," coach Edin Terzic told Sky.

"It does not matter how old he is or how long he's been with us. He represents much of what we want to see on the pitch.

"That's why he absolutely deserves it."

With Reus out with injury for several weeks, and if Hummels fails to return, Bellingham is in line to captain Dortmund against Sevilla in the Champions League on Wednesday and in their biggest domestic game of the season next weekend against Bayern Munich.

O.Yip--ThChM