With Diogo Costa, Portugal baptize their new guardian angel

Seleção fans frowned when the squad was announced on Thursday evening, one hour before the Portugal-Turkey match (3-1). Did Roy Patricio have last minute anxiety? “No, he was not hurtAnd quickly swept coach Fernando Santos after the match.

Since his first term in 2011, Rui Patricio, who has 102 picks and a Euro 2016 title, hasn’t looked close to the bench. So it was a shocking decision by Santos to prefer goalkeeper Diego Costa, 22, whose biography was rich with a small friendly match against Qatar last October (3-0). But Selesau’s new guardian angel did not come out of nowhere.

Everyone knows that Diogo Costa is the future of the national team.

Anthony Lopez, goalkeeper for Lyon and Portugal

Voted best goalkeeper in Portugal 4 times

Among the A, Diogo Costa has only two options. But among the youth, he played no less than 67 international matches, including 16 with the Spain national team. “Everyone knows that Diego Costa is the future of the national team“,” Courtesy of fellow countryman and rival Anthony Lopez, after Lyon’s win in Porto on March 9 (0-1). Wrong prediction: Diego Costa is the present.

A pure product of the FC Porto formation, he spent two years on the bench from the Dragons before being promoted to holders last summer, just weeks before celebrating 22 years. In his first season in Liga Bwin, he was voted goalkeeper of the month for September, December, January and February. He is a key link for the Portuguese championship leader, undefeated this season (23 wins in 4 draws).

disguised foot movements

In addition to the basic qualities required for a goalkeeper, it is his ability to impose himself in his area and especially the movement of the foot that makes him stand out. His technical ease contrasts with Rui Patricio’s mistrust in this area, which greatly influenced Fernando Santos’ selection against Turkey.

Read alsoWorld Cup 2022: Ronaldo expects ‘very tough’ playoff against Macedonia

Portugal, which was amputated by three incumbents (Pepe, Dias and Cancelo), showed great nervousness in the face of the slightest Turkish pressure. The ease of handling Diogo Costa’s skin wasn’t enough to mask Seleção’s mental and collective flaws, but it made it possible to get some of the hot balloons out better.

I thought he was going to shoot my left, his body told me so and he probably missed it because he saw me go from that side.

Diogo Costa for a penalty kick by Burak Yilmaz

On his streak, the Porto goalkeeper, who was playing in his club’s stadium that evening, was above blame. He even jumped to the right after a penalty kick sent by Burak Yilmaz to the crossbar. “I thought he was going to shoot me to my left, his body told me so and maybe he got it wrong because he saw me go from that sideDiogo Costa analyzed.

Face to face, the Rothrist native of Switzerland (whose parents returned to Portugal when he was 7 years old) wanted to thank his captain, Cristiano Ronaldo. “Before the penalty kick he told me to trust my instincts because the key to the match is in my hands“, he explained. But he knows it, and his success owes to him above all: “He was definitely very special to me, I work for him and do what I love every day. I am very proud of myself.»

Everything indicates that Rui Patricio, 34, will have to change the role of an old sage, and it is better to accompany Diogo Costa in his new uniform. If he has been no less successful this season in OL, Anthony Lopez (31 years, 14 caps), injured and lost in the playoffs, has already seen the train go under his nose. Not in the right place at the right time. Diogo Costa will protect the red and green nets on Tuesday (8:45 pm), in the qualifying final against North Macedonia, which is still at the Dragon Stadium. It should be for him, a priori, a quieter evening than the one he faces against Turkey. But if he wants to start his international career with the 2022 World Cup and not a fiasco, he really has no room for error.