Diogo Costa in-depth: “We’re a people ready to suffer for success” | OneFootball

Diogo Costa was named Player of the Year by Zerozero and gave a long interview in which he touched on several topics. Among them, the FC Porto goalkeeper was asked what had changed from the previous season to this one, which ended with the Primeira Liga title.

“It was very different from last season. To be very direct and simple, I think the arrival of a new coach, Mister Farioli, was what changed the dynamics of our style of play. A very young coach, with a lot of quality for his age and for the experience he has… that was the main point. He’s a coach whose values are very similar, or even identical, to FC Porto’s DNA.”

“The coach had that desire to win his first title. I believe that, because of what happened at Ajax, he also came a bit frustrated by what he had gone through. And I think that even he felt that, as we kept playing, that desire he had to win a title was getting very close, that it could be possible. I think the main point was the arrival of our coach, because he came with new ideas, very good training methods, very intense ones, and I think that was always our biggest weapon in this championship, as well as the confidence the coach had in making all those rotations in the team. I think the style he got us used to, his ideas, was always about giving confidence to all the players, so that everyone could be at their best and, in a way, provide a foundation for what the season was, what our season was going to be. For me, honestly, that was the point where everything started, where everything changed for the better.”

“It’s a moment that I will never… Everything that happened with him, I don’t think I’ll ever forget such a terrible day. But I also think it gave us a lot of strength, because we weren’t just playing for ourselves, we were playing for Jorge too. Because of the character Jorge had, he made everyone like him right from the first day of pre-season. All the players, all the staff, the entire coaching team, we had something extra to do for a certain person, and that was an even greater motivating factor, being willing to suffer in matches so that, in the end, we could win the league.”

“We had a board with Jorge Costa’s name on it and we all signed it as a commitment to do more than what is expected, for him. And we all signed that board, which was with us at every match, along with a shirt hanging there, so it was something we took to every game,” he added.

“Honestly, I don’t know how to be any other way, because I’ve spent my whole life here at FC Porto, in the city. I went to Casa Dragão when I was 15 and started living there. I don’t know any other DNA, any other culture. I’m very proud to be part of this region; we are a people who are always willing to suffer for success.”

Diogo Costa recalled the defeat against Casa Pia:

“I was just about to talk about that game. In that game we understood what was really missing. And maybe what was missing was going five more meters. In other words, I think it was a very good wake-up call for the team.”

“I think defeats are never good, but it was good to wake the lads up again, to give them a warning. To understand that it wasn’t going to be an easy league campaign, even though we had made a good start. Strategically, the other teams were already beginning to understand how we play, and we had to try to be more unpredictable, starting from a base. But I’d go back to that game against Casa Pia; it was the game that made us, perhaps, turn up the voltage,” he added next.

Diogo Costa also spoke about being FC Porto captain:

“I think that, overall, all my teammates respect me. They know I’m someone who has been at the club for some time, I’ve always felt affection from everyone, I’ve never felt a lack of respect from anyone. I’ve always tried to be an example for them, because I remember being younger and also looking up to the homegrown examples, the players who were at FC Porto. And deep down, I also want to continue being that example for them and, clearly, be a help to everyone. It was fundamental not only how they looked at me, but also with the arrival of some veterans. Everyone showed a great deal of respect for everyone else and it’s very nice to look back on. I think they see a friend ready to help them and someone who always puts the collective first.”

“I’ve always felt respect from all the players, including (Jan) Bednarek, as well as with the arrival of Thiago Silva. And what I also tried to do was learn from them. They always helped me in that leadership role, just like all the other captains. But it was a very healthy connection, we are all looking to win. That’s more than half the battle for us to be successful,” he also said.

Diogo Costa also commented on his relationship with Cláudio Ramos:

“We’ve been together at FC Porto for some time now, we have a really nice bond, at the same time one built on a lot of respect, with very similar principles. At Aves, that was exactly the feeling I had, that he didn’t deserve it. Because of the teammate he is, because of his principles, his character, the affection he earned at the club from the moment he arrived. He wasn’t a Porto fan and now he’ll be a Porto fan until he dies. That feeling was what I had in that moment, right after the game, I had to hug him and show him all the respect he has always shown me, and I wanted to do the same for him.”

“I remember the first times I came to train with him, I had come up from the academy, chubbier, and he would say that wasn’t professional. Those life lessons that, looking back, I’m truly very grateful for — I’ll always have great affection for him and I’ll carry that with me throughout my professional life.”

Diogo Costa was also asked about the challenge set by president André Villas-Boas regarding the number 2 shirt:

“Obviously I’m very honoured by that challenge from the president, but at the same time it’s a number with a lot of responsibility. It comes from a person (Jorge Costa) for whom I have a lot of affection. But it’s something I’m still thinking about. Then I have the World Cup to play, and after that I’ll have time to make a decision. But it’s something that has to be thought through.”

Diogo Costa also spoke about the transfer market:

“I think that fear has been there for about three years now. What I’ve always tried to do is give my best wherever I am. And playing for this club is a special kind of love, a different kind of love. I don’t think there’s much to think about in everyday life, I think it’s something natural. Obviously, we are professionals, these are things that don’t depend only on me, but my focus right now is FC Porto. And that’s what will continue to happen.”

Diogo Costa would choose Victor Froholdt as Player of the Year:

“I think I’d give it to (Victor) Froholdt. The energy he brought to our style of play is just immense, there’s no getting around it. He’s a key piece, he gave us a lot of fuel and it would be completely deserved if it went to him.”

Diogo Costa would pick Francisco Trincão when asked for a name outside the FC Porto squad:

“Maybe Trincão. He’s a player who has improved a lot, grown a lot, and I admire him. I also know him from the national team level… I think I’d give it to Trincão.”

Diogo Costa is already looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup:

“I think the expectation is pretty obvious: we all want to win the World Cup. I think we have to think game by game, because I’ve already had experiences where you think about the final and forget to do what matters in the present. Obviously we are a national team with a lot of quality. We have a generation that is truly rich in quality, and not just technical quality. When I say quality, I mean a combination of factors, but obviously we expect to win the World Cup, especially because we really want to play it for Diogo Jota and his brother. Obviously that is one more source of strength for this World Cup, but I think now, as captain, also speaking about FC Porto, we have to think game by game and stay united. Expectations are very high. I think all of us national team players feel that responsibility to represent the country well, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

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