Logan Costa back with Villarreal after World Cup duty with Cabo Verde | OneFootball

El Periódico Mediterráneo reports that Logan Costa has returned to Villarreal’s pre-season after World Cup duty with Cabo Verde, becoming the first of the club’s World Cup internationals to rejoin Iñigo Pérez’s squad.

The centre-back trained on Monday 20 July at the Ciudad Deportiva José Manuel Llaneza in Miralcamp, where the team held double sessions at 9.30 and 18.30, following a rest day on Sunday.

He cut short his holidays after rejoining Cabo Verde’s World Cup camp. Although he travelled with the squad, he did not play any minutes due to a lack of competitive rhythm after a season shaped by a knee injury.

His early return underlines a desire to move past a difficult year and compete quickly for a place in the new coach’s plans.

Costa trained with a smile, staying close to team-mates and particularly engaging with Willy Kambwala, with whom he built a strong bond last season.

On 19 July 2025, in the first summer friendly against Basel, he suffered a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Surgery followed, and he missed almost all of the 2025/26 campaign, aiming now to regain continuity, confidence and peak sharpness.

Villarreal began pre-season in the week of 6 July with medicals, then moved on to pitch work from 9 July. Their first warm-up game came on Friday 17 July, a 2-0 defeat to Benfica at the Estadio Algarve in Faro, with goals from Rafa Silva and Pavlidis.

Costa’s return is a significant boost for Villarreal’s defence, recalling his power in duels, aerial dominance and ability to defend space.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo