Costa began his career in his native Brazil before joiningBraga in Portugal in 2006, aged 17. He never played for the club but spent time on loan atPenafiel, and signed withLa Liga clubAtlético Madrid the following year. Over the next two seasons, he had loan periods with Braga,Celta Vigo, andAlbacete. His form earned him a move to fellow La Liga clubReal Valladolid in 2009, where he spent one season, finishing as their top goalscorer, before returning to Atlético Madrid. Costa struggled to maintain a regular starting role with Atlético, and spent more time on loan, this time atRayo Vallecano, where he finished as the club's highest scorer that season.
In 2011, Costa returned to Atlético with a greater role. He blossomed as a goalscorer and helped the team win a La Liga title, aCopa del Rey title, and aUEFA Super Cup, as well as reaching the2014 UEFA Champions League final. In 2014, he was signed byPremier League clubChelsea in a deal worth €35 million (£32 million). In London, Costa won three trophies, including two Premier League titles and aLeague Cup. In 2018, following a rift with head coachAntonio Conte, Costa returned to Atlético Madrid in a club record transfer worth an initial €56 million,[note 1] he won aUEFA Europa League title and another UEFA Super Cup as well as a second La Liga title in 2021.
Costa is a dual citizen of Brazil and Spain. He played twice forBrazil in 2013, before declaring his desire to representSpain, having been granted Spanish citizenship in September that year. He made his debut for Spain in March 2014 and has since won 24 caps and scored 10 goals, and has represented them at the2014 and2018 FIFA World Cups.
Known for his fiery temperament, Costa has been criticised and punished for several confrontations with opponents.[6][7]
Early life
Costa was born inLagarto, Sergipe, Brazil, to parents José de Jesus and Josileide.[8] His father named him in honour of Argentine footballerDiego Maradona despitethe rivalry between the two nations, and he has an elder brother named Jair after Brazilian playerJairzinho.[8] Despite regularly playingstreet football, Costa did not believe as a child that he would turn professional, in part due to the remote location of his hometown.[8] He has since set up a football academy in his hometown, where he pays all the costs.[9] Costa is a fan ofPalmeiras.[10]
Costa trialled unsuccessfully at his hometown teamAtlético Clube Lagartense.[11] At age 15, he left Sergipe and moved toSão Paulo, to work in the store of his uncle Jarminho.[8] Although he was never a professional, Jarminho had connections in football and recommended his nephew toBarcelona Esportivo Capela, a team from the south of the city set up as an alternative to drugs and gangs for youth of thefavelas.[8] Before joining this team, he had never been coached in football.[8][12] He turned professional at the club, earning around£100 per month,[8] and competed in the under-18 Taça de São Paulo despite a four-month ban for slapping an opponent and dissent towards the referee. Although he was sent off in the first game of the tournament, he attracted the attention of renowned Portuguese agentJorge Mendes, who offered him a contract atBraga. Costa's father was apprehensive of sending his son to Europe, and suggested he instead sign for nearbyAssociação Desportiva São Caetano, but he was adamant that he would take the opportunity.[13]
Jair played on the same team as Diego and was a slimmer, more technically able player, but had less focus; the two were often not fielded at the same time in order to prevent arguments. He never turned professional, but had a three-month trial atBasque clubSalvatierra.[13]
Club career
Early career
Costa signed for his first European club in February 2006, Portugal'sBraga.[14] He initially struggled with loneliness and the comparatively cold weather of northern Portugal.[15] Out of action due to the club's lack of a youth team, he was loaned that summer toPenafiel in thesecond division,[16] managed by formerPortugal internationalRui Bento, who desired the "rough diamond".[17]
Through his negotiations with Spain'sAtlético Madrid,[17] Mendes arranged Costa's transfer for€1.5 million and 50% of the player's rights in December 2006,[18] but he remained on loan at Braga until the end ofthe season. Atlético defeated interest fromPorto andRecreativo de Huelva for Costa's signature, with directorJesús García Pitarch admitting that it was a risk to pay so much for an inexperienced player.[19] After 5 goals in 13 games for Penafiel, he was recalled to Braga in January 2007.[19] On 23 February, he came on in the 71st minute forZé Carlos and scored his first goal for the team, a last-minute goal for a 1–0 win atParma to advance2–0 on aggregate to the Last 16 of theUEFA Cup.[4] His season ended after seven games due to ametatarsal injury which ruled him out for six months.[20]
Costa was presented by Atlético Madrid presidentEnrique Cerezo on 10 July 2007 as "the newKaká".[21] While scout Javier Hernández wished for him to return to fitness in theclub's reserves, García Pitarch instead suggested loaning Costa out immediately.[20] He made his debut on 11 August in the Ciudad de Vigo tournament againstCelta de Vigo, replacingSimão at half-time in apenalty shootout victory.[22]
Celta Vigo
Later that month, Costa andMario Suárez were loaned toSegunda División side Celta de Vigo for the season, and Costa became a regular in the team, managed by formerBallon d'Or winnerHristo Stoichkov.[23] In his seventh league match, he scored his first goal in Spanish football in a dominant home victory overXerez; after scoring, he showboated, causing a brawl which resulted in him being sent off. Costa was subsequently rested from Celta's away game against the same opposition. The event drew the wrath of Stoichkov, who unexpectedly left his position.[24] Towards the middle of the season, he was involved in two further controversies: he struckMálaga defenderWeligton in the head, causing an injury which required medical stitches, and was sent off againstSevilla Atlético fordiving and dissent, leaving his team to fight for a draw without him.[25] The loyal strike partner ofQuincy Owusu-Abeyie despite the pair not sharing a common language, he was dropped for CypriotIoannis Okkas.[25] On 23 March 2008, Costa scored both Celta goals in a 2–1 win atNumancia, the latter after a long dribble;[26] but later on in the campaign, he was sent off againstTenerife atBalaídos, after which Celta went from winning 2–0 to drawing 2–2.[27] The team barely avoided relegation, and Costa earned a reputation for being a disruptive influence.[28]
Albacete
Despite earning a poor reputation for his conduct, Costa attracted interest fromSalamanca,Gimnàstic de Tarragona and Málaga after his loan at Celta; García Pitarch ruled out any approach from the latter, fearing how Costa would behave on theCosta del Sol.[29] After attending Atlético's pre-season tour of Mexico, he signed on loan forAlbacete, also of Segunda División, on 22 August 2008, signing a contract which would have a lower fee depending on how many games he played.[30] He initially threatened to terminate his deal with theCastile-La Mancha team, on account of the quality of his teammates andthe city's lack of a beach.[30] Nine days after signing, he scored a late winner in a 2–1 victory over Sevilla's reserves at theEstadio Carlos Belmonte.[31] TheQueso Mecánico suffered with financial problems during Costa's loan, with him threatening to strike unless their non-playing staff were paid in full.[32] He was dropped to the bench by managerJuan Ignacio Martínez for the home game againstReal Sociedad on 13 December as punishment for an argument with goalkeeperJonathan, but came on as a substitute to score another late winner.[33]
Costa was known for misbehaviour on and off the pitch while at Albacete. He was sent off to Tenerife, after which he slandered the referee's mother and confronted his opponents.[34] He pulledpractical jokes on his teammates and employers, earning him the moniker "that fucking Brazilian".[35] However, he was a central figure as they avoided relegation, assisting twice in a 3–0 win at high-flyingRayo Vallecano on 2 May 2009, despite missing a penalty.[36]
Valladolid
Diego Costa next toGerard Piqué during an away Real Valladolid fixture versusFC Barcelona in May 2010
In the summer of 2009, Costa was desired byBarcelona for theirreserve team, an approach which Atlético rejected, citing that he remained in their plans.[37] Frustrated by his lack of opportunities, however, a now overweight Costa argued with his management and attempted to negotiate a move to Brazil'sEsporte Clube Vitória.[38]
On 8 July 2009, Costa was sold toReal Valladolid as part of the deal that sentgoalkeeperSergio Asenjo in the opposite direction, with the transfer including a €1 million buy-back option that could be activated by Atlético at the end ofthe season.[39] García Pitarch confessed that there was a verbal agreement that Costa would definitely return at the end of the campaign, and that the deal had been made to look permanent in order to give Costa more commitment to his new club.[40]
Initially, Costa had competition up front from fellow new signingsAlberto Bueno andManucho, signed fromReal Madrid andManchester United respectively; he eventually forged a friendship with the latter, a fellowlusophone from Angola.[41] He started strong for theCastile and León side, scoring 6 times in his first 12 games,[42] but only found the net once in the following five-and-a-half months as the campaign eventually ended inrelegation fromLa Liga. He was sent off in a goalless draw againstEspanyol on 24 March 2010 for a stamp onDídac Vilà in the first half.[43]
In June 2010, Costa returned to theColchoneros, initially as a backup toSergio Agüero andDiego Forlán – Atlético also paid an undisclosed sum to Braga to buy all the residual 30% economic rights (the former also had to pay in excess of €833,000 in agent's fees toGestifute[44]). He was an unused substitute as Atlético won the2010 UEFA Super Cup on 27 August.[5]
On 26 September, with the injured Agüero on thesubstitutes bench, Costa scored the game's only goal at home againstReal Zaragoza.[45] On 3 April of the following year, already as a starter after managerQuique Sánchez Flores demoted Forlán from his position, Costa scored all of his team's goals in a 3–2 win atOsasuna.[46]
In July 2011, duringAtlético's pre-season, Costa suffered a serious knee injury, going on to miss the majority ofthe season.[47] The injury prevented him from passing a medical at Turkish clubBeşiktaş, having already agreed to transfer to them.[48] On 23 January 2012, Costa was loaned to fellow league clubRayo Vallecano until June;[49] he scored four goals in his first three appearances, including two in a 5–3 away win againstLevante,[50] eventually finishing his loan spell with 10 goals from 16 games.
For the second time in his career, Costa was an unused substitute as Atlético won theUEFA Super Cup on 1 September 2012.[51] That December, Costa was involved in several on-field altercations in two separate matches. The first was in a 0–2local derby loss against Real Madrid where he avoided disciplinary action after spitting incidents between him andSergio Ramos.[52] He wassent off in the following game atViktoria Plzeň in theUEFA Europa League for headbutting opponentDavid Limberský, and was handed a four-match ban byUEFA.[53][54] This, however, did not deter coachDiego Simeone from continuing to start him, and he responded by scoring three goals in two home contests, againstDeportivo de La Coruña in the league (6–0)[55] andGetafe inthe season'sCopa del Rey (3–0).[56]
After the Copa del Rey semi-finals againstSevilla, Costa took his goal tally in the competition to seven in as many matches,[57] having scored three times in the tie. In the first leg he scored twopenalties in a 2–1 win[58] and, in the second at theRamón Sánchez Pizjuán, scored one after an individual effort andassistedRadamel Falcao in the other, also being involved in incidents which resulted in two opposing players –Gary Medel andGeoffrey Kondogbia – being sent off in the 2–2 draw.[59]
Costa scored Atlético's equalising goal in theCopa del Rey final clash against city rivals Real Madrid on 17 May 2013,[60] contributing to the 2–1 triumph – the first in 25 games in a streak stretching back to 1999 – and the tenth win in the tournament, confirmed byMiranda'sextra-time header.[61] He and opponentCristiano Ronaldo had gone into the match as joint top scorers in the tournament,[57] and thus Costa's eighth goal made him the top scorer.
In August 2013, Costa was heavily linked with a move toLiverpool, who allegedly matched his release clause of €25 million and offered him three times his salary at Atlético.[62] Costa, however, chose to stay at the club and renewed his contract until 2018, while also doubling his wages;[63] a few days after this, in the first match ofthe new season on 19 August, he scored a brace in a 3–1 win at Sevilla.[64]
On 24 September, Costa scored both goals in a 2–1 home triumph over Osasuna to help his team stay level on points with league leaders Barcelona through six games.[65] Four days later, in the Madrid derby, he scored the only goal of the game to record a second win over Real at theSantiago Bernabéu in under five months.[66] For his performances, he was crowned the inauguralLa Liga Player of the Month for September 2013.[67] By his 25th birthday on 7 October, he had scored ten goals in eight league matches, equalling his tally from the previous season. All of those matches were won by Atlético, setting a new record for the best start to a season.[68] On 23 November 2013, Costa scored an overhead volley from a cross byGabi in a win over Getafe; the goal was nominated for theFIFA Puskás Award.[69]
On 22 October 2013, Costa marked hisUEFA Champions League debut with two goals againstAustria Wien, the first coming after a fine individual effort in an eventual3–0 group stage away win.[70] On 19 February 2014, in the first knockout round's first leg, he scored the game's only goal atMilan, scoring seven minutes from time after acorner kick from Gabi;[71] he added a further two in the second match, helping Atlético to a 4–1 victory that put them into the quarter-finals for the first time in 17 years.[72]
On 30 April 2014, Costa won and converted a penalty in the second leg of theChampions League semi-final againstChelsea, as Atlético won 3–1 atStamford Bridge and advanced tothe final of the competition for the first time since1974.[73] He finished the league season with 27 league goals to become the third highest scorer,[74] and the team won the title for the first time since 1996, but he was substituted after 16 minutes of the last match of the season against Barcelona due to a hamstring injury.[75] Atlético sought to cure this injury before the upcomingChampions League final against Real Madrid by sending him toBelgrade for treatment with a horse placenta,[76] and he was included in the starting line-up for the decisive match. However, he left the pitch after eight minutes in an eventual 1–4 loss;[77] manager Diego Simeone later admitted a personal mistake in selecting the player to start the final despite his recent injury.[78] Costa scored eight goals during the Champions League campaign, equalling the record held byVavá since 1959 for most in a season by an Atlético player, and in his entire career was in the top ten Atlético players by goal average.[79] At the season'sLFP Awards, he was nominated for the league's Best Forward, losing out to Cristiano Ronaldo.[80]
Chelsea
Having completed his medical in June,[81][82] Chelsea announced on 1 July 2014 that they had agreed to meet the £32 million buy-out clause in Costa's contract.[83][84][85] On 15 July, Chelsea confirmed the completion of the signing of Costa, who signed a five-year contract on a salary of £150,000 a week.[86][87] On signing, Costa said, "I am very happy to sign for Chelsea. Everybody knows it is a big club in a very competitive league, and I am very excited to get started in England with a fantastic coach and teammates. Having played against Chelsea last season I know the high quality of the squad I am joining".[86] Following the departure of former Chelsea strikerDemba Ba, Costa inherited his number 19 shirt,[88] the same number he wore at the 2014 World Cup for Spain and previously at Atlético.
2014–15 season
Costa scored on his Chelsea debut on 27 July, running onto a through ball fromCesc Fàbregas in a 2–1 friendly win against Slovene clubOlimpija.[89] His first competitive match was Chelsea's first game of theleague season, away toBurnley on 18 August, scoring the team's equaliser in a 3–1 victory.[90] He scored in his third consecutive match on 30 August, the first and last goals of a 6–3 win atEverton, the first goal coming after 35 seconds.[91] Costa was given thePremier League Player of the Month award for August 2014.[92] He completed his firstPremier League hat-trick in his fourth game of the season againstSwansea City as Chelsea continued their perfect start to the season with a 4–2 win.[93] With seven, Costa holds the record for most goals in his first four Premier League matches, surpassing the tally of six by both Sergio Agüero andMicky Quinn.[94] In spite of his form at the start of the season, Costa had been suffering from a recurring hamstring problem which limited his participation in training; managerJosé Mourinho said that it would not heal until mid-November.[95]
Costa scored his tenth goal of the league season to give Chelsea a 2–1 win away to Liverpool on 8 November, preserving their unbeaten start to the campaign.[96] In January, Costa was charged bythe FA in relation to a stamp onEmre Can during Chelsea's win over Liverpool in theLeague Cupsemi-finals, and was given a three-match ban.[97] Costa won his first trophy for Chelsea on 1 March, as they defeatedTottenham Hotspur 2–0 to win theLeague Cup atWembley Stadium; he scored the second goal of the game.[98]
On 26 April, Costa was chosen as one of two forwards for the season'sPFA Team of the Year, alongside Tottenham'sHarry Kane. Five of Costa's Chelsea teammates were also in the selection.[99] Due to injury, he was due to miss the remainder of the season, in which Chelsea won the league title with a 1–0 home win overCrystal Palace on 3 May.[100] However, he featured in their last match of the season on the 24th, replacing the injuredDidier Drogba after half an hour againstSunderland. Seven minutes later, he scored his 20th goal of the league campaign, an equalising penalty in an eventual 3–1 home win.[101]
With reports speculating that Costa wanting to leave Chelsea, Costa affirmed on 2 June 2015 after Chelsea's post-season tour that he had no desire to leaveLondon, saying, "It's always a bit more difficult in the first season for adaptation, but I have no reason to leave this place, I love it, the fans love me, and I want to stay. It's really good to come in the first season [to Chelsea] and win two things [the Premier League and the League Cup titles]. Next year I'll be ready to come back and, hopefully, win a couple more trophies."[102]
2015–16 season
Diego Costa eyeballsGabriel. The latter would be the recipient of a red card later rescinded, while the former was charged with violent conduct.
Due to injury, Costa missed the2015 FA Community Shield, which Chelsea lost 1–0 torivalsArsenal.[103] On 23 August, he scored his first goal of the campaign in a 2–3 win atWest Bromwich Albion, which was Chelsea's first victory of the campaign, set up by international teammatePedro.[104] He scored his first Champions League goal for the team on 16 September, a volley from a Cesc Fàbregas ball in a 4–0 win overMaccabi Tel Aviv.[105]
Three days later, Costa was involved in controversy in a 2–0 home win over Arsenal; he repeatedly slappedLaurent Koscielny and chest-bumped him to the ground, and then confrontedGabriel, who allegedly tried to kick him and was sent off, though footage fromESPN Brazil later showed that little to no contact actually took place.[106] He escaped any punishment at the time. His conduct was deemed "disgusting" by visiting managerArsène Wenger,[107] and teammateKurt Zouma initially reacted by saying, "Diego likes to cheat a lot," but later clarified that he meant that "Diego is a player who puts pressure on his opponents".[6] As a consequence, on 21 September, he was charged with violent conduct by the FA.[108] and the following day he was given a three-match suspension.[109] Gabriel's red card was also rescinded, although he was given a one-match ban and £10,000 fine for improper conduct after failing to leave the pitch immediately. After this incident, theDaily Express wrote that Costa was "named as [the] Premier League's dirtiest player".[110]
After a 1–0 defeat atStoke City on 7 November, aBritannia Stadium steward made an allegation of assault against Costa, which was resolved without further action.[111] Also that month, Costa was again involved in a skirmish with Liverpool'sMartin Škrtel, where he appeared to dig his boot into the Slovak defender's chest, but escaped punishment by the FA.[112] On 29 November, Costa was an unused substitute in a match against Tottenham and threw his bib on the floor whenRuben Loftus-Cheek was sent on at his expense. Mourinho told the media that, "For me his behaviour is normal. A top player on the bench will not be happy."[113]
Costa,Oscar and Fàbregas were targeted by Chelsea supporters as the players whose poor form led to the dismissal of popular manager José Mourinho in December 2015.[114] Costa scored twice in the first game under interim replacementGuus Hiddink, a 2–2 home draw againstWatford.[114] Costa, who played in a protective mask after breaking his nose in training, improved his form under the Dutchman, scoring seven times in his first eight games under the new management.[115]
On 12 March 2016, Costa received his first red card in a Chelsea shirt near the end of their 2–0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Everton for confronting opponentGareth Barry. Footage appeared to show Costa biting Barry during that confrontation after clashing heads. Earlier in the match, Costa appeared to spit in the direction of the referee after he was yellow-carded for a clash with Barry.[116][117] Later, both Costa and Barry denied that the bite occurred.[118] Costa's two-match ban was extended to three, and he was fined £20,000.[119] On 2 May, as Chelsea drew 2–2 against Tottenham to deny them the title, Costa was gouged in the eyes byMousa Dembélé during a mass brawl; the Belgian received a retrospective six-match ban.[120]
On 15 August 2016, Costa scored a late winner againstWest Ham United to give Chelsea a 2–1 win in theirseason opener.[121] During the match, he caught opposing goalkeeperAdrián with a late challenge when already on a yellow card, but did not receive a second yellow and went on to score the winner; Adrián stated after the match that he was fortunate not to be seriously injured.[122] On 15 October, he scored in a 3–0 over reigning Premier League championsLeicester City,[123] and on 20 November Costa became the first player to reach ten league goals for the season, with the only one of the game atMiddlesbrough.[124] With two goals and two assists for league leaders Chelsea, he was voted Premier League Player of the Month for the second time in November 2016, with his managerAntonio Conte picking up the equivalent.[125]
In January 2017, Costa fell out with Conte and was dropped from the team, amidst interest from theChinese Super League.[126] A potential move toTianjin Quanjian F.C. was curtailed by the league limiting the number of foreign players in each team.[127] He returned to Chelsea's starting line-up on 22 January, opening a 2–0 win overHull City, his 52nd goal on his 100th appearance.[128] Costa was Chelsea's top scorer with 20 goals as they regained the Premier League title.[129] On 27 May, he scored an equaliser in the2017 FA Cup Final against Arsenal, a 2–1 loss.[130]
2017–18 season
"Hi Diego, I hope you are well. Thanks for the seasono [sic] we spent together. Good luck for the next year but you are not in my plan."
–Antonio Conte informing Costa by text in June 2017 that he would no longer be involved with Chelsea[131]
In June 2017, Costa was told by Conte that he was not part of his plans for the coming season and that he was free to move to another team via text message.[131] Although Costa was linked to potential moves to the likes ofMilan,Monaco, andEverton, he stated that he would only be open to moving back to his former team Atlético Madrid. Costa attempted to find a legal solution through his lawyer in pushing for a move back to Madrid,[132] and said that Chelsea were treating him like a "criminal" by demanding a high transfer fee for his exit.[133] He was excluded from training with the first-team, but was named in the Premier League squad, yet left out of the Champions League squad.[134]
Return to Atlético Madrid
Costa with Atlético in 2019
On 21 September 2017, Chelsea announced that Costa would return to Atlético at the start of the next transfer window in January 2018.[135][133] On 26 September 2017, it was announced that after passing medical tests Costa signed a contract with Atlético. He was registered and became eligible to play after 1 January 2018, due to a transfer ban imposed on Atlético.[136]
On 3 January 2018, he scored on his return game againstLleida Esportiu in theCopa del Rey round of 16, just five minutes after being substituted on forÁngel Correa in the 64th minute.[137] Three days later in his first league game back, he started in a 2–0 win overGetafe at theWanda Metropolitano and scored the second goal. However, having already been cautioned for a stray elbow onDjene Dakonam, he was cautioned for a second time for charging into the stands to celebrate his goal, thus being sent off.[138]ESPN FC credited Costa as being a key element inAntoine Griezmann's return to form, opining that Costa's "physical presence at centre-forward has understandably distracted opposition defenders quite a lot. Griezmann has now taken up a roaming No. 10 role, with freedom to go where he feels best"; Atlético manager Diego Simeone namechecked three of Atlético's players in particular–Costa,Koke, andFilipe Luís–who had helped Griezmann perform.[139]
In Atlético's first match of 2018–19, theUEFA Super Cup at theLilleküla Stadium in Estonia, Costa scored twice – including in the first 50 seconds – in a 4–2 win after extra time against Real Madrid.[142]
On 6 April 2019, he was sent off in the 28th minute againstFC Barcelona, and was handed an 8-match ban for abusing a referee.[143] On 18 June 2020, Costa marked his 200th club appearance forLos Colchoneros when he started in a huge 5–0 away win againstOsasuna.[144] Costa scored his fifth goal of the season in a 1–0 home victory againstReal Betis to ensure his team a top four finish and qualification forthe next season's Champions League.[145] On 29 December 2020, Costa and Atlético agreed to terminate their contract, making Costa a free-agent.[146]
Atlético Mineiro
On 14 August 2021, Costa joined Brazilian clubAtlético Mineiro, signing a deal until December 2022.[147] He scored on his debut on 29 August, coming off the bench in the second half and settling a 1–1league draw toRed Bull Bragantino.[148] On 16 January 2022, after only playing 19 times and scoring 5 goals, Diego Costa terminated his contract and became a free agent.[149]
Wolverhampton Wanderers
On 12 September 2022, Costa joined Premier League clubWolverhampton Wanderers until the end of the 2022–23 season.[150][151] As part of a video filming aimed for social media for his public unveil, he was seen holding a chained pack of wolves.[152] On 1 October 2022, Costa made his debut for the club, coming on in the 58th minute in a 2–0 league defeat toWest Ham United at theLondon Stadium.[153] Costa made his 100th appearance in the Premier League, his 11th for Wolves, as a second-half substitute againstBournemouth atMolineux on 18 February 2023.[154] He suffered a knee injury in the first-half of Wolves's 1–0 home win againstTottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on 4 March 2023 and was carried off the pitch on a stretcher.[155]
On 15 April, Costa scored his first goal for Wolves in a 2–0 home win againstBrentford, his first goal in English football in nearly six years.[156]
On 3 June, Wolves announced that Costa was one of many players who would leave at the end of their contract.[157]
Botafogo
On 12 August 2023, Costa signed for Brazilian clubBotafogo on a six-month contract.[158]On 23 August, Costa would make his debut for Botafogo in a 1–1 draw againstDefensa y Justicia during theCopa Sudamericana.
He would score his first goals for the club in a league game by scoring a brace in a 3–1 win againstBahia. Botafogo would get knocked out of the Copa Sudamericana in a 2–1 loss against Defensa y Justicia.
On 1 January 2024, Costa would leave Botafogo when his contract expired after playing a total of 15 games and scoring only 3 goals.
Grêmio
On 8 February 2024, Costa signed for Grêmio on a free transfer. On 2 March, he made his debut and scored his first goal for in a 4–1 win againstGuarany in theCampeonato Gaúcho. He would score in the quarter-finals of the Campeonato Gaúcho in a 2–1 win againstGrêmio Esportivo.
On 6 April, he would score in the Campeonato Gaúcho final second-leg in a 3–1 win againstJuventude.
On 14 April, he would make his league debut in a 2–1 loss againstVasco da Gama, where he would suffer a muscle injury. On 27 April, he would receive a last minute red card in a 1–0 loss against Bahia.
On 8 June 2024, he would suffer an injury in a 1–1 draw againstEstudiantes in theCopa Libertadores, however, he would gain an assist. His hamstring injury would last for two months.
On 7 August, he would return through a substitution in a 0–0 draw againstCorinthians in theCopa do Brasil. It would go to penalties, resulting in a 3–0 loss on penalties with Grêmio not scoring any of their penalties.
He would fully return in a 2–0 loss against Bahia on 17 August, before suffering another injury two days later.
He would leave the club on 1 January 2025 when his contract expired. He would only make 26 appearances and 8 goals during a one-year spell.
International career
Brazil
On 5 March 2013, Costa was called up to theBrazil national team by head coachLuiz Felipe Scolari forfriendlies withItaly in Geneva andRussia in London, both taking place late in that month.[159] He made his debut in the first match on 21 March, replacingFred midway through the second half of the 2–2 draw.[160] Four days later at Stamford Bridge, he replacedKaká for the last 12 minutes of a 1–1 draw with Russia.[161]
Request to change teams
In September 2013, theRoyal Spanish Football Federation made an official request toFIFA for permission to call up Costa for theSpain national team.[162] He had been grantedSpanish nationality in July.[163] FIFA regulations currently permit players with more than one nationality to represent a second country if, like Costa, they had only represented their first country in friendly matches.[162][164]
On 29 October 2013, Costa declared that he wished to play international football for Spain, sending a letter to theBrazilian Football Confederation (CBF).[165] Following the news, Scolari commented, "A Brazilian player who refuses to wear the shirt of the Brazilian national team and compete in aWorld Cup in your country is automatically withdrawn. He is turning his back on a dream of millions, to represent our national team, the five-time champions in a World Cup in Brazil."[166]
The CBF judicial director, Carlos Eugênio Lopes, said,
"It's obvious that the reason he made that choice was financial. The chairman [of the CBF,José Maria Marin] authorised me to open a legal action at the Justice Ministry requesting that he lose his Brazilian citizenship, which Diego Costa has rejected... The chairman told me that Costa has proved he's not fit to be part of the Scolari family, that he would contaminate the family because he's not committed to Brazil, but to Spain. He rejected his Brazilian citizenship. Marin has asked me to study the situation deeply in order to keep him from ever playing for Spain. He told me that, from now on, Costa is 'persona non grata' at the national team and that the players themselves wouldn't welcome him because of that episode".[167]
Spain
On 28 February 2014, Spain managerVicente del Bosque included Costa in the squad for a friendly against Italy.[168] He finally made his debut on 5 March, playing the full 90 minutes at his club ground, theVicente Calderón Stadium, as the hosts won 1–0.[169]
Costa was named in Spain's 30-man provisional squad for the2014 World Cup,[170] as well as the final list which was named on 31 May.[171] He returned from the injury which had ended his club season by starting in a warm-up game againstEl Salvador, winning a penalty in a 2–0 victory.[172] In the first match of the tournament, against theNetherlands, he again won a penalty, conceded byStefan de Vrij and converted byXabi Alonso for a 1–0 lead but in an eventual 1–5 defeat;[173] he was booed by Brazilian fans during the match.[174] Costa then started in a 0–2 loss toChile making little impact as he was substituted forFernando Torres for the second consecutive match, and Spain were eliminated.[175] He was an unused substitute in the team's third match, a 3–0 defeat ofAustralia.[176]
Costa scored his first goal for Spain with the third in a 4–0UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying win away toLuxembourg on 12 October 2014.[177] He did not feature again for Spain until 5 September 2015, when he was fouled bySlovakia goalkeeperMatúš Kozáčik for a penalty, whichAndrés Iniesta converted for a 2–0 qualifying win at theEstadio Carlos Tartiere inOviedo. He was booed when he was substituted forPaco Alcácer later in the match.[citation needed] Del Bosque defended Costa from criticism, saying that he performed well against the Slovak defence.[178] However, he was not included in the final squad for the tournament.[179]
On 5 September 2016, Costa scored his first international goals for nearly two years, in an 8–0 win overLiechtenstein at theEstadio Reino de León for Spain's opening match of2018 World Cup qualification, the first being a header from a free-kick by his former Atlético teammateKoke.[180] In May 2018, Costa was called up to Spain's squad for the2018 FIFA World Cup.[181] In their opening game on 15 June inSochi, he scored his two first World Cup goals to help Spain secure a 3–3 draw againstPortugal.[182] Five days later, he scored the winning goal of the match againstIran.[183]
Friends and family recalled how Costa's style of play changed little over time, with his father stating how as a child, Costa would be furious whenever his team lost.[184] Atlético scout Javier Hernández, on watching 17-year-old Costa play for Penafiel, was impressed by the young forward's determination and power, although found it evident that he was not observing a healthy lifestyle.[185] Costa's Penafiel manager Rui Bento, who was atSporting CP when Cristiano Ronaldo broke into the team, rated Costa in the same calibre as the Portuguese winger.[185] According to Atlético director Jesús García Pitarch, Costa ranks as one of the best signings of his career, alongsideMohamed Sissoko,Miranda andRicardo Oliveira.[186]
While on loan at Celta de Vigo, Costa drew comparisons to their former Egyptian strikerMido, who was also known for his temper.[187] During his spell at Albacete, Costa was nicknamed after bullfighterCurro Romero and theTasmanian devil.[36] His manager, Juan Ignacio Martínez, conceded that Costa played as a model professional for 89 minutes per match, with only one minute per match being his downfall.[188] Costa refers toJosé Luis Mendilibar as his greatest manager because of his fatherlike "tough love", respecting his talents while keeping strict discipline, once sending Costa to work in avineyard as a punishment.[189]
Earlier in his Atlético Madrid career, Costa's physical play was used in support ofRadamel Falcao, thus ensuring a lower goalscoring rate. After Falcao was sold in 2013, the attack was restructured around Costa by manager Diego Simeone. Simeone, who like Costa was known for his competitiveness and aggression, found ways to enhance his discipline while retaining his determination.[94] In 2014, his club teammateDiego Godín described Costa as the team's "heartbeat", commenting that he "gives us everything," also adding: "Sometimes things aren't going well and he is able to open up the game with his strength and technique." Nick Dorrington ofBleacher Report described him as a "battering ram of a striker: Strong, quick and tireless in his pursuit of the ball," while the club's manager Simeone lauded his work-rate as being "contagious".[190]
Ahead of his competitive debut for Chelsea in August 2014,BBC Sport punditRobbie Savage described Costa as "the missing piece in the jigsaw" for the "clear favourites" who "could end up winning the title by five or six points". He explained that Chelsea's defence was already the strongest in the league, but a poorer rate of shot-to-goal conversion had cost them the title. He praised Costa's stature and physical style of play which "suits the Premier League down to the ground" in the same role that Didier Drogba previously played at Chelsea,[191] an opinion also voiced by the league's top scorer of all-time,Alan Shearer.[192] Costa has also been attributed with a greater ability to keep possession of the ball than any Chelsea striker since Drogba first left the club in 2012.[193] That same year, Henry Winter ofThe Telegraph noted that Costa "...has the technique, the strength and the burst of acceleration to destroy defences."[194]
Costa's size, technique, and strength, coupled with his link-up play and ability to hold up the ball with his back to goal allow him to be an effectivetarget-man;[195][196][197][198] moreover, his constant movement and powerful running in thecentre-forward role allows him to distract opponents and in turn create space for teammates.[139][199][200] Although he was initially known to be inconsistent in the earlier part of his career, due to his low goalscoring rate, he later established himself as a good finisher as his career progressed, which along with his composure in front of goal and ability inside the penalty box, made him a prolific goalscorer,[195][201][202][203][204] and even saw him regarded by several pundits and managers as one of the best strikers in the world at his peak.[205][206] In 2018, Simeone lauded Costa for the "enthusiasm" and "aggression" he brings to Atlético Madrid, as well as his "speed, decisiveness, and physical strength."[207]
Discipline and controversies
Costa andMartin Škrtel have had several notable clashes.
Costa has been the source of much controversy in his career due to confrontations with opponents, and has received multiple violent conduct charges fromThe Football Association of England.[208][6] Opposing managers have also opined that Costa himself intends to provoke his opponents.[7]Danny Murphy ofMatch of the Day has stated that Costa is targeted by players who "wind him up," but he "remains calm", and is justified to taunt opponents who taunt him.[209]Pat Nevin, a former Chelsea winger, believes that Costa's style of play is likely to cause himself "a few injuries".[192] In August 2014, he was criticised by Everton managerRoberto Martínez for taunting Everton'sSéamus Coleman following his own goal, and stated Costa needed "to understand the ethics" of the Premier League.[7] In October 2014, he clashed with Slovakia's Martin Škrtel in aEuro 2016 qualifier.[210]
In January 2015, following two stamp incidents involving Costa and Liverpool players for which Costa received a three-match ban by the FA, Liverpool managerBrendan Rodgers stated that he thought Costa had fouled his players when "he could easily have hurdled over the player" and "there's no need to do it".[211] Costa described his style of play as "strong but noble", and refuted allegations that he deliberately aims to injure opponents.[212]
In late 2015, Costa was the subject of scrutiny for his comparatively poor start to his second season at Chelsea and his low scoring rate for Spain.[178] French newspaperL'Equipe named Costa as the most hated footballer in December 2015, based on his provocative and violent behaviour.[213]
^Costa's transfer equates to €65 million when performance-related add-ons are included. His title as club record transfer was surpassed later that summer, whenThomas Lemar joined for €60 million.
^"Diego Costa".Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Archived fromthe original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved7 November 2022.
^ab"Diego allo scadere, Parma fuori" [Diego at the end, Parma out] (in Italian). UEFA. 23 February 2007.Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved22 August 2014.
^ab"Line-ups"(PDF). UEFA. 27 August 2010. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 4 February 2020. Retrieved27 August 2010.
^"A Primera desde la calle" [Diego Costa: ToPrimera from the streets].El País (in Spanish). 23 January 2010.Archived from the original on 26 April 2024. Retrieved25 July 2010.
^"Un cumpleaños en plenitud" [A birthday in plenitude] (in Spanish). Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 7 October 2013.Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved8 November 2014.
^"Diego Costa". FIFA. 12 November 2014. Archived fromthe original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved14 November 2014.
^"Costa completes Wolves move". Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. 12 September 2022.Archived from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved12 September 2022.
^"Spain 0–2 Chile". BBC. 18 June 2014.Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved26 June 2014.
^"Australia 0–3 Spain"./ref> He was an unused substitute in the team's third match, a 3–0 defeat ofAustralia.BBC. 23 June 2014.Archived from the original on 23 June 2014. Retrieved26 June 2014.
^Medina, David G.; Brooke, Charlie (2 November 2018)."Griezmann needs Diego Costa".Marca.Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved7 June 2020.
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