62 Facts About Diego Costa

Diego da Silva Costa, commonly known as Diego Costa, is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Diego Costa never played for the club but spent time on loan at Penafiel, and signed with Atletico Madrid the following year.

Diego Costa's form earned him a move to fellow La Liga club Real Valladolid in 2009, where he spent one season, finishing as their top goalscorer, before returning to Atletico Madrid.

Diego Costa struggled to maintain a regular starting role with Atletico, and spent more time on loan, this time at Rayo Vallecano, where he finished as the club's highest scorer that season.

In 2011 Diego Costa returned to Atletico with a greater role.

Diego Costa blossomed as a goalscorer, and helped the team win a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey title, and a UEFA Super Cup.

In London, Diego Costa won three trophies, including two Premier League titles, and a League Cup.

Diego Costa played twice for Brazil in 2013, before declaring his desire to represent Spain, having been granted Spanish citizenship in September that year.

Diego Costa made his debut for Spain in March 2014, and has since won 24 caps and scored 10 goals, and has represented them at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.

Diego Costa was born in Lagarto, Sergipe, Brazil, to parents Jose de Jesus and Josileide.

Diego Costa's father named him in honour of Argentine footballer Diego Maradona despite the rivalry between the two nations, and he has an elder brother named Jair after Brazilian player Jairzinho.

Diego Costa has since set up a football academy in his hometown, where he pays all the costs.

Diego Costa trialled unsuccessfully at his hometown team Atletico Clube Lagartense.

Diego Costa's father was apprehensive of sending his son to Europe, and suggested he instead sign for nearby Associacao Desportiva Sao Caetano, but he was adamant that he would take the opportunity.

Jair played on the same team as Diego Costa, 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.

Diego Costa never turned professional, but had a three-month trial at Basque club Salvatierra.

Diego Costa signed for his first European club in February 2006, Portugal's Braga.

Diego Costa initially struggled with loneliness and the comparatively cold weather of northern Portugal.

Atletico defeated interest from Porto and Recreativo de Huelva for Diego Costa's signature, with director Jesus Garcia Pitarch admitting that it was a risk to pay so much for an inexperienced player.

Diego Costa's season ended after seven games due to a metatarsal injury which ruled him out for six months.

Diego Costa was presented by Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo on 10 July 2007 as "the new Kaka".

Diego Costa was rested from Celta's away game at the same opposition.

Diego Costa initially threatened to terminate his deal with the Castile-La Mancha team, on account of the quality of his teammates and the city's lack of a beach.

Diego Costa was known for misbehaviour on and off the pitch while at Albacete.

Diego Costa was sent off away to Tenerife, after which he slandered the referee's mother and confronted his opponents.

Frustrated by his lack of opportunities a now overweight Diego Costa argued with his management and attempted to negotiate a move to Brazil's Esporte Clube Vitoria.

Diego Costa started strong for the Castile and Leon side, scoring 6 times in his first 12 games, but only found the net once in the following five-and-a-half months as the campaign eventually ended in relegation from La Liga.

Diego Costa was sent off in a goalless draw against Espanyol on 24 March 2010 for a stamp on Didac Vila in the first half.

Diego Costa was an unused substitute as Atletico won the 2010 UEFA Super Cup on 27 August.

In July 2011, during Atletico's pre-season, Diego Costa suffered a serious knee injury, going on to miss the majority of the season.

Diego Costa was sent off in the following game at Viktoria Plzen in the UEFA Europa League for headbutting opponent David Limbersky, and was handed a four-match ban by UEFA.

On 23 November 2013, Diego Costa scored an overhead volley from a cross by Gabi in a win over Getafe; the goal was nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award.

Diego Costa finished the league season with 27 league goals to become the third highest scorer, 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.

Diego Costa scored eight goals during the Champions League campaign, equalling the record held by Vava since 1959 for most in a season by an Atletico player, and in his entire career was in the top ten Atletico players by goal average.

Diego Costa was given the Premier League Player of the Month award for August 2014.

Also that month, Diego Costa was again involved in a skirmish with Liverpool's Martin Skrtel, where he appeared to dig his boot into the Slovak defender's chest, but escaped punishment by the FA.

Diego 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.

In January 2017, Diego Costa fell out with Conte and was dropped from the team, amidst interest from the Chinese Super League.

Diego Costa was Chelsea's top scorer with 20 goals as they regained the Premier League title.

In June 2017, Diego 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.

Diego Costa attempted to find a legal solution through his lawyer in pushing for a move back to Madrid, and said that Chelsea were treating him like a "criminal" by demanding a high transfer fee for his exit.

Diego Costa was excluded from training with the first-team, but was named in the Premier League squad, yet left out of the Champions League squad.

On 26 September 2017, it was announced that after passing medical tests Diego Costa signed a contract with Atletico.

Diego Costa was registered and became eligible to play after 1 January 2018, due to a transfer ban imposed on Atletico.

On 14 August 2021, Diego Costa joined Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro, signing a deal until December 2022.

On 16 January 2022, after only playing 19 times and scoring 5 goals, Diego Costa terminated his contract and became a free agent.

Diego Costa made his 100th appearance in the Premier League, his 11th for Wolves, as a second-half substitute against Bournemouth at Molineux on 18 February 2023.

On 5 March 2013, Diego Costa was called up to the Brazil national team by head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari for friendlies with Italy in Geneva and Russia in London, both taking place late in that month.

FIFA regulations currently permit players with more than one nationality to represent a second country if, like Diego Costa, he had only represented his first country in friendly matches.

On 29 October 2013, Diego Costa declared that he wished to play international football for Spain, sending a letter to the Brazilian Football Confederation.

Diego Costa is turning his back on a dream of millions, to represent our national team, the five-time champions in a World Cup in Brazil.

Diego Costa was booed when he was substituted for Paco Alcacer later in the match.

In May 2018, Diego Costa was called up to Spain's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Diego Costa refers to Jose Luis Mendilibar as his greatest manager because of his fatherlike "tough love", respecting his talents while keeping strict discipline, once sending Diego Costa to work in a vineyard as a punishment.

Simeone, who like Diego Costa was known for his competitiveness and aggression, found ways to enhance his discipline while retaining his determination.

Diego Costa 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.

Diego Costa 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, an opinion voiced by the league's top scorer of all-time, Alan Shearer.

Diego Costa has been attributed with a greater ability to keep possession of the ball than any Chelsea striker since Drogba first left the club in 2012.

Diego Costa has been the source of much controversy in his career due to confrontations with opponents, and has received multiple violent conduct charges from The Football Association of England.

Danny Murphy of Match of the Day has stated that Diego Costa is targeted by players who "wind him up," but he "remains calm", and is justified to taunt opponents who taunt him.

Diego Costa described his style of play as "strong but noble", and refuted allegations that he deliberately aims to injure opponents.

In late 2015, Diego Costa was the subject of scrutiny for his comparatively poor start to his second season at Chelsea and his low scoring rate for Spain.