Diogo Costa

Early career

Born in Rothrist, Canton of Aargau, Switzerland to Portuguese parents, Costa relocated to Santo Tirso in Portugal at the age of 7. In his childhood, he played football with his cousin Vitor, with their idol being Porto legend Vítor Baía, whom they looked to emulate. He started playing football at a local academy, AMCH Ringe, and later began going through some training sessions with Benfica, being integrated into one of their feeder club, Póvoa de Lanhoso, where he stayed for two years, standing out alongside future teammate Vitinha, before joining Porto's academy in 2011, following the consent of his parents.

Porto

2017–2021: Youth career and reserves

Costa made his senior debut with the reserve team on 6 August 2017, in a 1–2 home loss against Gil Vicente for the LigaPro. He finished the season with a further 31 appearances, helping to a seventh-place finish, and on 15 May he renewed his contract until June 2022. In September, he was named the club's Newcomer of the Year; late in the same year, Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas – who started for the first team – heaped praise upon him, regarding him as his "successor". Costa won the 2018–19 UEFA Youth League with Porto, defeating Chelsea 3–1 in the final in Nyon, Switzerland on 29 April. Days later, after Casillas suffered a heart attack, Vaná replaced him as starting goalkeeper and Costa was called up to the bench for the final three games of the season, starting with a 4–0 win at…

Youth

Costa started all of Portugal's matches in the 2016 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. In the final against Spain, he saved Manu Morlanes' spot kick in a 5–4 penalty shoot-out victory after a 1–1 draw, helping his team win the tournament for the sixth time. With the under-19s, he participated in the 2017 European Championship, playing four out of five matches as they lost in the final to England. He represented the nation at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, starting in all the matches in a quarter-final exit. In July 2018, Costa played four matches out of five at the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Finland, helping Portugal win the tournament for the first time, but missed the final due to a muscle injury. Previously, on 25 May, the 18-year-old won his first cap for the under-21 side, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 3–2 friendly win over Italy. In March 2021, Costa played all of Portugal's matches in the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, as Portugal finished the tournament as runners-up, losing the final 1–0 to Germany.

Senior

Costa was called up to the senior team for the first time on 26 August 2021, for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and Azerbaijan and a friendly with Qatar. He made his debut on 9 October against the last of those opponents, in a 3–0 victory at Algarve Stadium. Costa was chosen as the first-choice goalkeeper by the head coach Fernando Santos for the 2022 FIFA World Cup…

Described as a "sweeper-keeper" because of his playing style, Costa is a goalkeeper distinguished by his technical skills and tactical intelligence. He possesses exceptional reflexes and reaction times, enabling him to execute difficult saves in one-on-one situations and against point-blank shots. Costa also excels in penalty situations, displaying composure and a strong sense of positioning. His effectiveness in collecting crosses further highlights his decision-making abilities and overall goalkeeping prowess. Tactically, Costa is a goalkeeper who is comfortable with the ball at his feet, facilitating play from the back and aiding in ball distribution. His precise short and long passes help initiate attacks and maintain possession for his team. Additionally, Costa has strong game awareness and positioning, allowing him to anticipate plays and effectively intercept crosses and aerial threats. His leadership qualities are evident on the field; he communicates well with his defensive teammates, showcasing maturity and confidence in organizing the defensive line to ensure team compactness. Pedro Pereira, a goalkeeping coach who worked with Costa in Porto's youth system and B team, described him as "a very calm goalkeeper, one with real presence", and stated that "he has clarity in key moments and controls his emotions very well. He exudes security in everything he does, and that transmits a sense of serenity to the team."

Together with his wife Catarina Machado, they have a son born in November 2022, named Tomás Costa.