During his time with the club, former FC Porto head coach Sergio Conceicao referred to Diogo Costa as his “number 10”, testifying to his exceptional ability to orchestrate the Dragons game plan from the back.
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Costa’s ability with the ball at his feet has already earned him a special place in history as the first goalkeeper to have both provided an assist and saved a penalty in the same UEFA Champions League match. In Porto’s 3-0 win at Bayer Leverkusen in 2022, his raking pass to the left wing found Galeno to score, before he superbly repelled Kerem Demirbay’s spot-kick later in the half.
The 25-year-old – who was born in Switzerland to Portuguese parents before moving to his family’s homeland as a child – was initially reluctant to play between the sticks. His potential as an outfield player was evident from an early age, which led him to return home one day complaining to his grandfather, Joaquim Meireles, about having to play in goal.
However, his first club, Pinheirinhos de Ringe – in the town of Vila das Aves – had a policy whereby every player had to try their hand between the posts at least once. While he grew fond of his goalkeeping duties over time, the permanent positional switch took a while to materialise and even involved an agreement that he would spend half his time in goal and the other half outfield. This contributed to the development of one of the most all-rounded goalkeepers in world football today, with few others excelling to the same degree with the ball at their feet.
His extensive skill set will once again be on display when Porto take to the stage at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, with the Portuguese powerhouses set to face SE Palmeiras, Inter Miami CF and Al Ahly FC in Group A. The number 99, who inherited the shirt with the blessing of the most storied name to have worn it, Vitor Baia, is eagerly awaiting the tournament.
“Our goal is obviously to progress beyond the group stage and then reach the final and win the whole thing,” he said in an interview with FIFA.
The new global club competition could also be the perfect prelude to the FIFA World Cup 26™, which will also be hosted in the United States, along with Canada and Mexico. Porto will play two of their three group-stage matches at New York New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, the same venue that will host the final of both tournaments.
“It would be a dream come true to be crowned champions with my club and my country,” he continued.
Having spent his entire senior career at Porto since joining their academy in 2011, he inherited the captain’s armband at the start of the 2024/25 season following the retirement of the legendary Pepe. He’s won two Primeira Liga titles and four Taça de Portugal crowns, among a smattering of personal honours.
“Playing for Porto has always been my main goal and my life’s dream,” he stated. “My entire family supports Porto, so imagine how it must feel for them to see their son or grandson playing for the club that means so much to the whole family. Every time I take to the pitch for Porto, it feels like a dream come true. I would give my life for this club.”
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Since breaking into the first team and filling the gloves of illustrious predecessors Iker Casillas, Helton and Baia, Costa has earned a reputation for his ability to save from 12 yards. Since his days with Porto B, he has saved a dozen regulation-time penalties, with a record three of those coming in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League. Adding to those 12, he also became the first keeper to save three consecutive penalties at a European Championship last year, as Portugal edged past Slovenia.
“The key is always hard work and dedication,” he admitted. “Obviously, we always analyse the penalty takers. You also need to rely on your instincts a little to be able to do that [save penalties], but my focus is always on helping the team to win.”
He may well wear the number 99 on the back of his shirt, but Diogo Costa’s performances rank him as a true number one.
