Costacurta: ‘Leao has never been a leader, Milan aren’t losing a Kaka or Shevchenko’ | OneFootball

Alessandro Costacurta feels that it is wrong to consider Rafael Leao a ‘leader’ of Milan, but has criticised the Portugal international for his inconsistency, claiming that he has ‘never been a champion like that, even if he thinks he is’.

Leao is among the star players in line to leave Milan after a dismal end to the 2025-26 season, which saw the Rossoneri miss out on Champions League qualification despite the fact that they had spent a large chunk of the campaign in second place.

Leao has recently given a series of interviews while away on international duty with Portugal, hinting rather heavy-handedly that his time in San Siro has come to an end: ‘I need a new challenge, I think the Premier League or LaLiga would make more of my talent,” he recently told Sport TV in Portugal.

Costacurta on Leao: ‘I’ve never considered him a Ballon d’Or level player’

Alessandro Costacurta Commissioner of FIGC looks on before the International Friendly match between Italy U21 and Belgium U21 at Friuli Stadium on October 11, 2018 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Speaking in a critical, in-depth interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Costacurta claimed that it is wrong to consider Leao a true leader of Milan, but criticised his inconsistency and insists that he is not a Ballon d’Or level player, ‘even if he thinks he is’.

“Personally, I’ve never considered him a Ballon d’Or level player,” said Costacurta. “I played with some of those: They are at an entirely different level. If he leaves, you’re not losing a Kaka or a Shevchenko. Rafa has never been a champion like that, even if he thinks he is.

“If he changes his mind, and if the real leaders come in and he is given a different role, he could also still be useful in the right context. But he has to be seen for what he is: A very good player, not the star of the team.”

Click here to read the full interview with Costacurta.