Diego Costa

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Diego Costa
This article is about the Spanish footballer. For other people with similar names, see Diego Costa (disambiguation).
This name uses Portuguese naming customs. The first or maternal family name is da Silva and the second or paternal family name is Costa.
Diego Costa
Diego Costa 2014.jpg
Costa playing for Chelsea in 2014
Personal information
Full name Diego da Silva Costa[1]
Date of birth 7 October 1988 (age 26)
Place of birth Lagarto, Brazil
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
Chelsea
Number 19
Youth career
2004–2006 Barcelona EC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2006 Braga 0 (0)
2006 → Penafiel (loan) 13 (5)
2007–2009 Atlético Madrid 0 (0)
2007 → Braga (loan) 7 (0)
2007–2008 → Celta (loan) 30 (5)
2008–2009 → Albacete (loan) 35 (9)
2009–2010 Valladolid 34 (8)
2010–2014 Atlético Madrid 94 (43)
2012 → Rayo Vallecano (loan) 16 (10)
2014– Chelsea 26 (20)
National team‡
2013 Brazil 2 (0)
2014– Spain 7 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 May 2015.
† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 October 2014
Diego da Silva Costa (Spanish: [ˈdjeɣo ða ˈsilβa ˈkosta], Portuguese: [ˈdʒjeɡu dɐ ˈsiwvɐ ˈkɔstɐ]; born 7 October 1988), known earlier in his career simply as Diego,[3][4] is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for English club Chelsea and the Spain national team. He plays as a striker and has been described by pundits as a player whose main attributes are his physicality, goalscoring and ability to keep possession.[5][6]

He began his career with Braga and Penafiel in Portugal, and was signed by Atlético Madrid in 2007. He was loaned back to Braga, and then to Celta and Albacete before being sold to Valladolid in 2009. He returned to Atlético the following season and went on to play a key role in their attack, scoring 27 goals as they won the league title in 2014, and then joined Chelsea for £32 million. He scored 20 goals in his first season in England, winning the Premier League and League Cup.

Internationally, Costa played twice for Brazil in 2013, but later declared his desire to represent Spain, having been granted Spanish citizenship in September 2013. He made his début for his adopted nation in March 2014, and was selected for that year's World Cup.

Contents
Early life
Club career
Early career
Atlético Madrid
2010–11 season
2011–12 season
2012–13 season
2013–14 season
Chelsea
2014–15 season
International career
Brazil
Request to change teams
Spain
Playing style
Honours
Club
Individual
Statistics
Club
International
International goals
References
External links
Early life

Costa was born in Lagarto, Sergipe, Brazil, to parents José de Jesus and Josileide.[7] His 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.[7] Despite regularly playing street football, Costa did not believe as a child that he would turn professional, in part due to the remote location of his hometown.[7]

At age 15, he left Sergipe and moved to São Paulo, to work in the store of his uncle Jarminho.[7] Although he was never a professional, Jarminho had connections in football and recommended his nephew to Barcelona Esportiva Capela, a team from Ibiúna in the south of the city set up as an alternative to drugs and gangs for youth of the favelas.[7] Before joining this team, he had never been coached in football.[7][8] He turned professional at the club, earning around £100 per month, and met renowned Portuguese agent Jorge Mendes, who took the teenager to Europe.[7]

Club career

Early career
Costa signed for his first European club in February 2006, Portugal's S.C. Braga,[9] and spent the following months with the club's reserves.

In the 2006 summer Costa was loaned to F.C. Penafiel, in the second division,[10] and in December, he was sold to Spain's Atlético Madrid, for €1.5 million and 50% of the player's rights,[11] but remained on loan at Braga until the end of the season. On 23 February 2007, he came on in the 71st minute for Zé Carlos and scored his first goal for the team, a last-minute goal for a 1–0 win at Parma F.C. to advance 2–0 on aggregate to the Last 16 of the UEFA Cup.[3]

In the following two years he was again loaned, on both occasions to Segunda División sides, starting with Celta de Vigo then with Albacete Balompié, appearing and scoring regularly.[12]

On 8 July 2009 Costa was sold to Real Valladolid as part of the deal that sent goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo in the opposite direction, with the transfer including a €1 million buy-back option that could be activated by Atlético at the end of the season.[13] He started strong for the Castile and León side, scoring six times in his first 12 games,[14] but only found the net once in the following 5½ months as the campaign eventually ended in relegation from La Liga.

Atlético Madrid
2010–11 season
In June 2010 Costa returned to the Colchoneros, initially as a backup to Sergio Agüero and Diego Forlán – Atlético also paid an undisclosed sum to Braga to buy all the residual 30% economic rights (the former also had to pay an exceed of €833,000 in agent's fees to Gestifute[15]). He was an unused substitute as Atlético won the 2010 UEFA Super Cup on 27 August.[4]

On 26 September, with the injured Agüero on the substitutes bench, Costa scored the game's only goal at home against Real Zaragoza.[16] On 3 April of the following year, already as a starter after manager Quique Flores demoted Forlán from his position, he netted all of his team's goals in a 3–2 win at CA Osasuna.[17]

2011–12 season

Costa on loan at Rayo Vallecano, celebrating with the goalscorer, Alhassane Bangoura, in a match against Levante, on 19 February 2012.
In July 2011, during Atlético's pre-season, Costa suffered a serious knee injury, going on to miss the majority of the season.[18] The injury prevented him from passing a medical at Turkish club Beşiktaş J.K., having already agreed to transfer to them.[19] On 23 January 2012 Costa was loaned to fellow league club Rayo Vallecano, until June;[20] he scored four goals in his first three appearances, including two in a 5–3 away win against Levante UD,[21] eventually finishing his loan spell with 10 goals from 16 games.

2012–13 season
For the second time in his career, Costa was an unused substitute as Atlético won the UEFA Super Cup on 1 September 2012.[22]

During December 2012, Costa was involved in several on-field altercations in two separate matches. The first was in a 0–2 local derby loss against Real Madrid where he avoided disciplinary action after spitting incidents between him and Sergio Ramos.[23] He was sent off in the following game at FC Viktoria Plzeň in the Europa League for headbutting opponent David Limberský, and was handed a four-match ban by UEFA.[24][25] This, however, did not deter coach Diego Simeone from continuing to start him, and he responded by netting three goals in two home contests, against Deportivo de La Coruña in the league (6–0)[26] and Getafe CF in the season's Copa del Rey (3–0).[27]

After the Spanish Cup semi-finals against Sevilla FC, Costa took his goal tally in the competition to seven in as many matches,[28] having scored three times in the tie: in the first leg he netted two penalties in a 2–1 win[29] and, in the second at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, scored one after an individual effort and assisted Radamel Falcao in the other, also being involved in situations which resulted in two opposing players – Gary Medel and Geoffrey Kondogbia – being sent off in the 2–2 draw.[30]

Costa scored Atlético's equalising goal in the Copa del Rey Final clash against city-rivals Real Madrid on 17 May 2013,[31] 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 by Miranda's extra-time header.[32] He and opponent Cristiano Ronaldo had gone into the match as joint top scorers in the tournament,[28] and thus Costa's eighth goal made him the top scorer.

2013–14 season

Costa executing an overhead kick against Almería, on 14 September 2013.

Costa in action with Atletico in 2013.
In August 2013 Costa was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool, who allegedly matched his release clause of €25 million and offered him three times his salary at Atlético.[33] However, he chose to stay at the club and renewed his contract until 2018, while also doubling his wages;[34] a few days after this in the first match of the new season on 19 August, he scored a brace in a 3–1 win at Sevilla.[35]

On 24 September Costa netted both goals in a 2–1 home triumph over Osasuna, to help his team stay level on points with league leaders FC Barcelona through six games.[36] Four days later, in the Madrid derby, he scored the only goal of the game to record a second win over Real at the Santiago Bernabéu in under five months.[37] For his performances, he was crowned the inaugural La Liga Player of the Month for September 2013.[38] By his 25th birthday on 7 October, he had scored 10 goals in 8 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.[39] On 23 November 2013, Costa scored an overhead volley from a cross by Gabi in a win over Getafe CF; the goal was nominated for the FIFA Puskás Award.[40]

On 22 October 2013 Costa marked his UEFA Champions League début with two goals against FK Austria Wien, the first coming after a fine individual effort in an eventual 3–0 group stage away win.[41] On 19 February of the following year, in the first knockout round's first leg, he scored the game's only goal at A.C. Milan, netting seven minutes from time after a corner kick from Gabi;[42] he added a further two in the second match, helping to a 4–1 victory that put Atlético into the quarter-finals for the first time in 17 years.[43]

On 30 April 2014 Costa won and converted a penalty in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea, as Atlético won 3–1 at Stamford Bridge and advanced to the final of the competition for the first time since 1974.[44] He finished the league season with 27 league goals to become the third highest scorer,[45] 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.[46] Atlético sought to cure this injury before the upcoming Champions League final against Real Madrid by sending him to Belgrade for treatment with a horse placenta,[47] 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;[48] manager Diego Simeone later admitted a personal mistake in selecting the player to start the final despite his recent injury.[49] Costa scored 8 goals during the Champions League campaign, equalling the record held by Vavá since 1959 for most in a season by an Atlético player, and in his entire career was in the top 10 Atlético players by goal average.[50] At the season's LFP Awards, he was nominated for the league's Best Forward, losing out to Cristiano Ronaldo.[51]

Chelsea

Costa and Atınç Nukan of Beşiktaş in a pre-season friendly, on 8 August 2014.
Having completed his medical in June,[52][53] Chelsea announced on 1 July 2014 that they had agreed to meet the £32 million buy-out clause in Costa's contract.[54][55][56] 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.[57][58] 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 team-mates. Having played against Chelsea last season I know the high quality of the squad I am joining".[57] Following the departure of former Chelsea striker Demba Ba, Costa inherited his number 19 shirt,[59] 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 from Cesc Fàbregas in a 2–1 friendly win against Slovene club Olimpija.[60] Costa then scored his second goal of pre-season in a 2–0 friendly win against Fenerbahçe, on 8 August, described by the Daily Mail as a "wondergoal".[61] He ended his pre-season with two goals in his first match at Stamford Bridge, a 2–0 friendly win against Real Sociedad, on 12 August.[62]


Costa in Chelsea's game against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in October 2014
His first competitive match was Chelsea's first game of the league season, away to Burnley on 18 August, scoring the team's equaliser in a 3–1 victory.[63] Costa also scored in his second league game, opening a 2–0 home win over Leicester City.[64] He scored in his third consecutive match on 30 August, netting the first and last goals of a 6–3 win at Everton, the first goal coming after 35 seconds.[65] Costa was given the Premier League Player of the Month award for August 2014.[66] He completed his first Premier League hat-trick in his fourth game of the season against Swansea City as Chelsea continued their perfect start to the season with a 4–2 win.[67] 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 and Micky Quinn.[68] 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; manager José Mourinho said that it would not heal until mid-November.[69]

Costa scored his 10th 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.[70] On 17 January 2015, he scored twice in the first half as Chelsea won 5–0 away at Swansea.[71] Later that month, Costa was charged by the FA in relation to a stamp on Emre Can during Chelsea's win over Liverpool in the League Cup semi-finals, and was given a three-match ban.[72] Costa won his first trophy for Chelsea on 1 March, as they defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 to win the League Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. In the 56th minute, his shot was deflected in by Kyle Walker for the second goal of the game. Initially the goal was given as a Walker own goal,[73] but Costa was later awarded the goal.[74][75]

On 26 April, Costa was chosen of one of two forwards for the season's PFA Team of the Year, alongside Tottenham's Harry Kane. Five of Costa's Chelsea teammates were also in the selection.[76] Due to injury, he missed was due to miss the remainder of the season, in which Chelsea won the league title with a 1–0 home win over Crystal Palace on 3 May.[77] However, he featured in their last match of the season on the 24th, replacing the injured Didier Drogba after half an hour against Sunderland. Seven minutes later scored his 20th goal of the league campaign, a penalty to equalise in an eventual 3–1 home win.[78]

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 leave London 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.”[79]

International career

Brazil
On 5 March 2013, Costa was called up by Brazilian national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari for friendlies with Italy in Geneva and Russia in London, both taking place late in that month.[80] He made his début in the first match on the 21st, replacing Fred midway through the second half of the 2–2 draw.[81] Four days later at Stamford Bridge he replaced Kaká for the last 12 minutes of a 1–1 draw with Russia.[82]

Request to change teams
In September 2013, the Royal Spanish Football Federation made an official request to FIFA for permission to call up Costa for the Spanish national team.[83] He had been granted Spanish nationality in July,[84] and FIFA regulations permit players with more than one nationality to represent a second country if like Costa, he had only represented his first country in friendly matches.[83]

On 29 October 2013, Costa declared that he wished to play international football for Spain, sending a letter to the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).[85] Following the news, Scolari commented: "A Brazilian player who refuses to wear the shirt of the Brazilian national team and compete in a World 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."[86]

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 loses 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".[87]
Spain
On 28 February 2014, Spain manager Vicente del Bosque included Costa in the squad for a friendly against Italy.[88] He finally made his début on 5 March, playing the full 90 minutes at his club ground the Vicente Calderón Stadium as the hosts won 1–0.[89]

Costa was named in Spain's 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup,[90] as well as the final list which was named on 31 May.[91] He returned from the injury which had ended his club season by starting in a warm-up game against El Salvador, winning a penalty in a 2–0 victory.[92] In the first match of the tournament, against the Netherlands, he again won a penalty, conceded by Stefan de Vrij and converted by Xabi Alonso for a 1–0 lead but in an eventual 1–5 defeat;[93] he was booed by Brazilian fans during the match, to which he reacted by saying "I have confirmed that Spain is my country and the Spanish people are behind me, the criticism of my decision does not affect me".[94] Costa then started in a 0–2 loss to Chile making little impact as he was substituted for Fernando Torres for the second consecutive match, and Spain were eliminated.[95] He was an unused substitute in the team's third match, a 3–0 defeat of Australia.[96]

Costa scored his first goal for Spain with the third in a 4–0 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying win away to Luxembourg on 12 October 2014.[97]

Playing style


Costa preparing to take a penalty in a match against Almería on 14 September 2013
Earlier in his Atlético Madrid career, Costa's physical play was used in support of Radamel 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.[68]

Ahead of his competitive debut for Chelsea in August 2014, BBC Sport pundit Robbie 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,[5] an opinion also voiced by the league's top scorer of all time, Alan Shearer.[98] 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.[6]

Savage feared that Costa was liable to being angered by opponents.[5] Opposing managers have also opined that Costa himself intends to provoke his opponents.[99] Danny Murphy of Match 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.[100] Pat Nevin, a former Chelsea winger, believes that Costa's style of play is likely to cause himself "a few injuries".[98]

In January 2015, following two stamp incidents involving Costa and Liverpool players, Liverpool manager Brendan 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".[101] Costa describes his style of play as "strong but noble", and refutes allegations that he deliberately aims to injure opponents. He says that he must play in a "strong" way due to what he perceives as leniency from English referees compared to their Spanish counterparts.[102]

Honours


Chelsea supporters' banner in honour of Costa, November 2014
Club
Atlético Madrid
La Liga: 2013–14[44]
UEFA Super Cup: 2010,[4] 2012[22]
Copa del Rey: 2012–13[31]
UEFA Champions League: Runner-up 2013–14[48]
Supercopa de España: Runner-up 2013[103]
Chelsea
League Cup: 2014–15[74]
Premier League: 2014–15[77]
Individual
Copa del Rey: Top scorer 2012–13[28]
La Liga Player of the Month: September 2013[38]
Trofeo EFE: 2013–14[104]
Premier League Player of the Month: August 2014[66]
PFA Team of the Year: 2014–15[76]
Statistics

As of 24 May 2015[105]
Club
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Penafiel 2006–07 Liga de Honra 13 5 1 0 — 14 5
Braga 2006–07 Primeira Liga 7 0 1 0 2[a] 1 10 1
Celta 2007–08 Segunda División 30 5 1 0 — 31 5
Albacete 2008–09 Segunda División 35 9 1 0 — 36 9
Valladolid 2009–10 La Liga 34 8 2 1 — 36 9
Atlético Madrid 2010–11 La Liga 28 6 5 1 6[a] 1 39 8
Rayo Vallecano 2011–12 La Liga 16 10 0 0 — 16 10
Atlético Madrid 2012–13 La Liga 31 10 8 8 5[a] 2 44 20
2013–14 La Liga 35 27 8[b] 1 9[c] 8 52 36
Total 94 43 21 10 20 11 135 64
Chelsea 2014–15 Premier League 26 20 4 1 7[c] 0 37 21
2015–16 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 26 20 3 1 5 0 34 21
Career total 253 99 30 11 27 12 312 124
^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Europa League
^ Includes 2 appearances in Supercopa de España
^ a b Appearances in UEFA Champions League
International
As of match played 12 October 2014[106]
Brazil
Year Apps Goals
2013 2 0
Total 2 0
Spain
Year Apps Goals
2014 7 1
Total 7 1
International goals
Scores and results show Spain's goal tally first[106]

# Date Venue Opponent Score Final Competition
1. 12 October 2014 Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg Luxembourg 3–0 4–0 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
References

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^ "Un cumpleaños en plenitud" [A birthday in plenitude] (in Spanish). Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
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^ "Diego Costa completes £32m Chelsea move from Atlético Madrid". The Guardian. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
^ "Chelsea complete Costa signing". ESPN. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
^ a b "Costa deal completed". Chelsea F.C. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
^ Ankers, George (15 July 2014). "Official: Chelsea sign Diego Costa". Goal.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
^ "Squad number changes". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
^ "Match report: NK Olimpija Ljubljana 1 Chelsea 2". Chelsea F.C. 27 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
^ Todd, Oliver (8 August 2014). "Chelsea beat Fenerbahce but then lose to Besiktas in Istanbul pre season tournament as £32million hitman Diego Costa scores a wondergoal". Mail Online. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
^ "Match report: Chelsea 2 Real Sociedad 0". Chelsea F.C. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
^ "Burnley 1–3 Chelsea". BBC Sport. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
^ Ronay, Barney (23 August 2014). "Diego Costa saves profligate Chelsea’s blushes against Leicester City". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
^ "Everton 3–6 Chelsea". BBC Sport. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
^ a b "Diego Costa accepts August accolade". Chelsea F.C. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
^ "Chelsea 4–2 Swansea City". BBC Sport. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
^ a b West, Andy (19 September 2014). "Diego Costa: Is Chelsea striker just a fast starter or the real deal?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
^ "Diego Costa: Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho unsure on striker's return". BBC Sport. 19 October 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
^ McNulty, Phil (8 November 2014). "Liverpool 1–2 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
^ Rawlings, Owen (17 January 2015). "Swansea 0–5 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
^ "Diego Costa: Chelsea striker gets three-match ban for stamp". BBC Sport. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
^ "Chelsea 2 Tottenham 0, match report - John Terry and Diego Costa on target as Blues win Capital One Cup final". The Telegraph. 1 March 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
^ a b "Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham". BBC Sport. 1 March 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
^ "Match Report". Capital One Cup. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
^ a b "PFA Team of the Year: Chelsea have six players selected". BBC Sport. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
^ a b McNulty, Phil (3 May 2015). "Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
^ Winton, Richard (24 May 2015). "Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
^ "José Mourinho criticises Ruben Loftus-Cheek for Chelsea display". the Guardian. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
^ "Felipão chama Kaká e Diego Costa. Ronaldinho fica fora de amistosos" [Felipão calls Kaká and Diego Costa. Ronaldinho out of friendlies] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
^ "Italy 2–2 Brazil: Balotelli beauty ensures Swiss spectacular ends all-square". Goal.com. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
^ Webber, Tom (25 March 2014). "Brazil 1–1 Russia". Goal.com. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
^ a b "La FEF ya negocia la llamada de Diego Costa a la Selección" [FEF in negotiations to call Diego Costa to national team] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
^ "Diego Costa granted citizenship". Football España. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
^ "Diego Costa: Brazil-born striker commits to Spain". BBC Sport. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
^ Rice, Simon (13 June 2014). "World Cup 2014: Diego Costa booed by locals during Spain v Netherlands". The Independent. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
^ "CBF demands Diego Costa loses Brazilian citizenship". Goal.com. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
^ "Mata and Torres miss out for Spain". ESPN FC. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
^ "Pedro breaks Italy's resistance in Madrid". UEFA.com. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
^ "World Cup 2014: Diego Costa and Fernando Torres in Spain squad". BBC Sport. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
^ "World Cup 2014: Spain drop Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas". BBC Sport. 31 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
^ "El Salvador 0–2 Spain". BBC Sport. 8 June 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
^ "Spain 1–5 Netherlands". BBC Sport. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
^ Todd, Oliver (13 June 2014). "Diego Costa booed by Brazilian crowd as striker represents Spain against Holland". Daily Mail. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
^ "Spain 0–2 Chile". BBC. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
^ "Australia 0–3 Spain". BBC. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
^ "European champions Spain responded to their shock defeat by Slovakia with a comfortable win in Luxembourg.". BBC Sport. 12 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
^ a b "Diego Costa: Jose Mourinho hails 'special' Chelsea striker". BBC Sport. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
^ "Diego Costa must learn respect – Everton boss Roberto Martinez". BBC Sport. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
^ Bevan, Chris (31 August 2014). "Diego Costa: Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho's 'perfect kind of player'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
^ Twomey, Liam (27 January 2015). "Brendan Rodgers condemns 'nasty' Diego Costa". Goal.com. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
^ "Chelsea striker Diego Costa says he is a 'strong but noble' player". BBC Sport. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
^ "El Barça, campeón ante un Atlético granítico" [Barça, champions against an Atlético like granite]. Marca (in Spanish). 28 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
^ "Diego Costa gana el Trofeo EFE como mejor iberoamericano de la Liga española" [Diego Costa wins the Trofeo EFE as the best Ibero-American in the Spanish Liga]. El Economista (in Spanish). 18 May 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
^ "Barclays Premier League Players – ESPN FC". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
^ a b "Diego Costa". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
External links

Chelsea profile
Atlético Madrid profile
BDFutbol profile
Diego Costa at National-Football-Teams.com
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