“I don’t see anyone better than Diogo Costa to wear FC Porto’s No 2” | OneFootball

Fernando Santos, FC Porto’s “Engineer of the Fifth Title,” gave an interview to Rádio Renascença this Thursday, in which he encouraged Diogo Costa — the goalkeeper whom he himself introduced to Portugal’s senior national team — to accept the challenge set by André Villas-Boas to wear the club’s number 2 shirt.

“Right now, I don’t see anyone better to wear that shirt, also as a tribute from Diogo Costa to everyone who wore it before, including Jorge, who sadly passed away. In reality, he is clearly, nowadays, a very strong symbol of FC Porto, so I honestly think it is more than fair and the right thing,” he began by saying.

“The number 2 is the symbol of FC Porto. For many years, even before I arrived at FC Porto in 1998, it was already like that, with João Pinto. It was established by Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, and then, when I arrived, it was Jorge Costa, who was an unavoidable name in FC Porto’s history, and that tradition or symbolism has always remained, which I think represents it best,” he added.

Born in Rothrist, Switzerland, Diogo Costa joined FC Porto in 2011, after spells at AMCH Ringe and Casa do Benfica da Póvoa do Lanhoso. He progressed through the entire youth system until, on 25 September 2019, Sérgio Conceição handed him his first-team debut in a 1-0 win over Santa Clara.

Since then, he has made 245 official appearances and has been instrumental in winning three league titles, three Portuguese Cups, and two Cândido de Oliveira Super Cups. Meanwhile, he secured his place as Portugal’s first-choice goalkeeper and took part in the run to winning the Nations League in 2024/25.

Now, the blue-and-white captain’s full attention is focused on the World Cup, a competition in which he will try to help Portugal go as far as possible. The tournament will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the Seleção will share Group K with Uzbekistan, Colombia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“We all want to count on Diogo Costa for a few more years”

Fernando Santos’ remarks come less than 24 hours after, in comments to journalists on the sidelines of a dinner with PSD parliamentary group members, André Villas-Boas, FC Porto’s president, revealed the invitation he had made to Diogo Costa.

“I set him a challenge that I hope he accepts: to wear FC Porto’s number 2 shirt next year. For us, it would be a huge honour (…). The number 2 shirt has an important historical meaning, one of winners, and of course it is tied to our dear Jorge Costa, who has left us,” he said.

“For that to happen, he has to be at FC Porto, and that is my wish. We all want to count on Diogo for a few more years,” he added, regarding the goalkeeper’s future. He is under contract until June 2030 and is protected by a €60 million release clause.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.