2024-07-04 06:00:00
The Portugal goalkeeper was his team’s hero last Monday in the round of 16 match against Slovenia. Before the match against the Blues on Friday, check out Diogo Costa, FC Porto’s goalkeeper.
Born in Switzerland
His first name and surname sound very Portuguese. Although the Seleçao goalkeeper was born in Rothrist, in the Aargau region and about an hour from Bern, the capital of Switzerland. When he was seven years old, Diogo Costa’s parents returned to Portugal. “He speaks Portuguese poorly and it is not easy for him to integrate”trust to L’Machinee Adilio Pinheiro, founder of the club Pinheirinhos de Ringe where the governor of Porto played. The latter even learned that Costa did not initially want to play in the cages… Even if the scenario seems unlikely (but unlikely), Portugal can meet Switzerland… in the end.
Punishment experts
Diogo Costa lit up the round of 16 against Slovenia by stopping three shots on goal against the first three Slovenian shooters. “Of course we analyze the Slovenian shooters but the truth is that mostly I go there on theory. I did it a little differently and I did it well”, get the Portuguese goalkeeper after the match. He also became the first keeper to stop three shots on goal during the same season at the Euros. But this is not the 24-year-old’s first attempt. During the group stages of the Champions League last season, he already made a decision with three penalties saved in three matches.
A blunder in the World Cup quarter-finals
The following of the famous Rui Patricio (36 years, 108 caps) made headlines during the World Cup in Qatar. In the quarter-final against Morocco, Diogo Costa made a poor move in the middle of his penalty area and Youssef En-Nesyri struck and fired the ball into the Portuguese net. At the start of the match, the young Costa (22 years old at the time) almost stole the ball from Ghana’s Inaki Williams, who was hiding behind him. We have narrowly avoided littering.
Read againPortugal-Slovenia: “I have to follow my instincts,” said Portuguese hero Diogo Costa after saving three penalties.
The estimated release clause is… 100 million euros
Your actions don’t go unnoticed. Like Donnarumma, Maignan and Courtois, Diogo Costa has an incredible release clause of 100 million euros. Wanted by many clubs abroad including Chelsea two years ago, then by Manchester United and Bayern Munich, the goalkeeper extended his contract until 2027 with FC Porto.
Saving Costa’s decision against Sesko.
Lee Smith/REUTERS
“The match of your life” against Slovenia
His three saves during penalties took him to another level. But before that, Diogo Costa saved his team against the Slovenian footballer Benjamin Šeško on a field goal in the 115th minute. Undaunted, the Seleçao governor intervened to prevent the attack. “It was probably the best match of my life, probably the match in which I was most useful.» , he confided after the meeting. His coach, Roberto Martinez, was even more enthusiastic. “Portugal’s secret is Diogo Costa”, say Roberto Martinez, coach of Portugal. “It is the best kept secret in European football. Today it appears on another level. (…) We must be very proud of him”.
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