Diego Costa set to play in Ronaldinho’s Sunderland showcase at Stadium of Light | OneFootball

Diego Costa is set to appear at the Stadium of Light on Monday in the Wearside Legends Game. According to Sunderland Echo, the former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid striker will feature in a Ronaldinho and Friends side against Defoe and the UK Icons, which kicks off at 5pm on Monday 25 May.

Costa has been named in Team Ronaldinho. Sunderland had previously confirmed Ronaldinho would headline, with Jermain Defoe leading the UK Icons, and the fixture falls a day after the Black Cats finish their Premier League season against Chelsea.

The 37-year-old won two Premier League titles and the League Cup at Chelsea. With Atletico Madrid he claimed La Liga, the Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup.

Born in Brazil, Costa later represented Spain, winning 24 caps and scoring 10 goals. He played at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and built a reputation as a combative, prolific centre-forward.

Ronaldinho’s line-up already includes Gilberto Silva, Maicon, Douglas Costa, Philippe Coutinho, Ramires and Kleberson, plus Nwankwo Kanu, Djibril Cisse and Nicklas Bendtner.

Defoe’s UK Icons feature a strong Sunderland theme, with Kevin Phillips and Lee Cattermole among those involved, alongside Heurelho Gomes, Michael Dawson and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Ronaldinho, a 2005 Ballon d’Or winner and 2002 World Cup champion with Brazil, adds significant nostalgia to the occasion. Sunderland owners Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori, plus director of football Florent Ghisolfi, are also set to be involved.

Source: Sunderland Echo