Diogo Costa lifted Portugal into the European Championship quarter-finals on Monday evening by saving three penalties. The goalkeeper was born and raised in Rothrist in the canton of Aargau.
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- Diogo Costa, not Cristiano Ronaldo, is the man being celebrated after the Portuguese team reached the quarter-finals.
- The goalkeeper, who was born in Rothrist in the canton of Aargau, made three saves in the penalty shoot-out against Slovenia.
- Costa spent the first seven years of his life in Switzerland. The world's most valuable goalkeeper also has a Swiss passport.
When SRF commentator Sascha Ruefer talks about the "man from Sursee", it is clear to every Swiss national team fan that he is referring to Haris Seferovic. But who is the man from Rothrist? That's the name Ruefer gave Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa on Monday evening, who helped his nation into the European Championship quarter-finals with three penalty saves in the penalty shoot-out against Slovenia. Three penalty saves in a penalty shoot-out at the European Championship - that's never happened before.
Rothrist, a municipality in Aargau with just under 7500 inhabitants, is the talk of the town thanks to Costa. The keeper was born in Rothrist almost 25 years ago and spent the first seven years of his life in Aargau. He then moved to Portugal with his mother. According to media reports, Costa's father still lives in Switzerland today and works here as a truck driver.
In addition to his Portuguese passport, the 24-year-old also holds a Swiss passport. However, he no longer seems to have much contact with the country of his birth. After emigrating with his mother, Costa was drawn to FC Porto's youth academy at an early age, where he eventually turned professional and still plays today.
But for how much longer? With brilliant performances like the one on Monday evening in the European Championship round of 16 against Slovenia, he continues to play his way into the notebooks of Europe's top clubs. With a market value of 40 million euros (according to Transfermarkt), Costa is already - together with Gregor Kobel and Gianluigi Donnarumma - the most valuable goalkeeper in the world.
"The best game of my life"
He now has 26 caps for Portugal under his belt. On Monday, he became a hero with his brilliant saves in the penalty shoot-out. "The night of Diogo Costa's dreams", headlines the Portuguese newspaper "A Bola". "Diogo Costa's gloves keep Portugal in the European Championship", writes "Publico".
After the game, Cristiano Ronaldo ("Congratulations to Diogo") was also full of praise, with the keeper himself speaking of "probably the best game of my life". Diogo Costa, the "man from Rothrist", also makes Aargau proud on Monday evening.
