Why DIOGO COSTA is the BEST GOALKEEPER in the WORLD Right Now

You're not ready for this conversation, but Diogo Costa is the best goalkeeper in the world right now! He sets crazy records at the Euros, saves Cristiano Ronaldo, outscores Ederson and Neuer in stats, and will end up in a top club very soon!
So now you'll see why Costa's stunning performance against Slovenia was just a warm-up and what this Portuguese beast is really capable of!
Diogo Costa vs Slovenia
Diogo Costa gave us one of the greatest goalkeeping performances in a penalty shootout ever which will be immortalized in the history books!
In the round of the last 16 match of Euro 2024 between Portugal and Slovenia, he became the first goalkeeper ever to save three penalties at the Euros! And he also made an insane save on Benjamin Šeško in extra time!
In addition, Costa became the first man in European Championship history to play 120 minutes AND feature in a penalty shootout without conceding a single goal of any kind during the match.
Diogo was named Player of the Match for his outstanding performance and got a special thanks from Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo. CR7 is playing the last Euro in his career, so every match is now crucial for him on the way to the trophy!
In extra time, Cristiano missed a penalty because of a Jan Oblak save, and if not for Costa, the leader of the 2016 European champions would not have forgiven himself for the mistake...
But 24-year-old Diogo led Portugal to the quarterfinals and showed maturity by supporting 39-year-old Ronaldo in a post-match interview:
«Ronaldo missing the penalty? We all fail, the important thing is what we do after the mistake. Cristiano is our leader».
Well, now Ronaldo should donate at least a month of his Saudi wages to Diogo Costa as a thank you! This guy did something unreal, but the thing is that you didn't see how Costa made such crazy saves on the penalty spot long before the Euro!
Diogo Costa's penalty record in the Champions League
Throughout his career, Diogo Costa has saved almost a third of all penalties he faced - 10 out of 37!
In addition, the Portuguese goalkeeper holds another record: he was the first in history to save a penalty in three consecutive Champions League group stage games!
Costa, who plays for Porto at club level, made this magic in the 2022/23 season. Back then, he stopped an 11-meter shot in both matches against Bayer and another against Brugge. Thanks to Diogo, Porto won all three games without conceding!
Interestingly, Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas, who was finishing his career with the Dragons, was the first to see Costa's talent at the club.
«There is a star coming through. He’s called Diogo Costa. I think he’s going to be a superb goalkeeper», – Iker said as early as six years ago!
Yes, Costa is talented not only on penalties but also in many other aspects! So, if you've only heard of him but never seen much of him in action, get ready to be amazed!
What else makes Costa a top player?
In addition to penalties and shot-stopping, Costa has another superpower - great footwork, with both of them! Diogo is a very cold-blooded goalkeeper who is not afraid of pressing. Even under pressure from opponents, he always calmly waits for his teammates to get open for a pass. Costa's passes are always accurate and smooth, and in the build-up, he can be considered a full-fledged center-back!
At this European Championship, after four matches played, Diogo keeps the accuracy of his passes at 90.75% - the second-best result among goalkeepers after David Raya of the Spanish national team, who has 92%.
At the same time, Costa is also completely fine when it comes to fulfilling his regular job: the Portuguese has excellent reflexes and has a 72.4% save percentage per 90 at the club level. For a better understanding: in the past season, Ederson's rate was 70.7%, and Manuel Neuer's was 66.7%. Only Alisson (73.4%) and Andre Onana (74.9%) were higher than Diogo.
In total, in the 2023/24 season, Costa played 45 matches for Porto and kept 17 clean sheets. Diogo has been playing consistently at this level for several years in a row and it's even more crazy to see what he has achieved at the age of 24 in the national team! This is much more than just one game with Slovenia!
Diogo Costa in the Portuguese national team
Costa has played 26 matches for Portugal so far, conceding only 18 goals and keeping 14 clean sheets. His stats were especially impressive during the Euro 2024 qualifiers: Costa played in 7 qualifying matches and conceded only 2 goals!
At his young age, Diogo is already the undisputed number one of the national team and his growth continues after the appointment of Roberto Martinez. The Portugal manager calls him the team's main trump card:
«The secret of Portugal is Diogo Costa, he's the most hidden secret in European football. We have to be very proud of him».

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