Douglas Costa

Douglas Costa
Name	Douglas Costa
Fullname	Douglas Costa de Souza
Birth date	1990-09-14
Birth place	Sapucaia do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Height	1.72 m
Position	Winger
Youthclubs	Grêmio
Seniorclubs	Grêmio; Shakhtar Donetsk; Porto; Bayern Munich; Juventus; LA Galaxy
Nationalteam	Brazil U20; Brazil

Douglas Costa (born 14 September 1990) is a Brazilian professional footballer known for his pace, dribbling, and ability to play on either flank. He emerged from Grêmio's youth system before building a reputation in the Ukrainian Premier League with Shakhtar Donetsk, winning multiple domestic titles and featuring in UEFA competitions. Costa later moved to FC Bayern Munich and Juventus F.C. in Serie A, and has represented Brazil national football team at major tournaments including the FIFA World Cup cycle and the Copa América.

Early life and youth career

Born in Sapucaia do Sul, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Costa began playing at a young age in local youth setups before joining the academy of Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense. At Grêmio he progressed through age-group teams, trained under academy coaches influenced by Brazilian technical schools, and featured alongside contemporaries who later moved to clubs such as Internacional and Fluminense. His performances in state competitions and the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior attracted scouts from European and Ukrainian clubs, culminating in a senior debut for Grêmio in Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.

Club career

Costa's senior breakthrough came at Grêmio where he showcased dribbling and crossing ability, prompting a transfer to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukrainian Premier League. At Shakhtar he won multiple league titles and Ukrainian Cup trophies, and featured in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League squads alongside players from Brazil and across South America and Europe. His displays led to a loan to FC Porto in Primeira Liga, where he adapted to Portuguese tactics and European competition intensity.

In 2015 Costa signed for FC Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, contributing to consecutive league championships and domestic cup campaigns under managers including Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti. His time at Bayern included Champions League knockout ties against clubs such as Real Madrid and Barcelona, and partnerships on the wings with players like Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben.

A move to Juventus F.C. in Serie A followed, where Costa linked with teammates including Cristiano Ronaldo and Gianluigi Buffon while competing for Scudetto honors and Coppa Italia finals. Loan spells and returns between Bayern Munich and Juventus occurred amid transfer negotiations involving sporting directors and agents across Europe. In the latter stages of his club career he joined LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer, competing in playoffs and participating in fixtures broadcast across North America.

International career

Costa represented Brazil national under-20 football team at youth tournaments, featuring in squads that included future senior internationals. He earned his senior debut for the Brazil national football team in the early 2010s, competing in friendly matches, FIFA World Cup qualification fixtures, and continental tournaments. Costa was part of Brazil squads for editions of the Copa América and was included in provisional and final selections for FIFA World Cup cycles, competing alongside stars such as Neymar Jr., Thiago Silva, Casemiro, Philippe Coutinho, and Alisson Becker. His international career involved matches against teams like Argentina national football team, Germany national football team, and France national football team.

Style of play and reception

Costa is characterized as a dynamic winger with emphasis on acceleration, close control, and one-on-one dribbling, traits lauded by pundits from outlets covering UEFA Champions League and national leagues. Managers such as Luiz Felipe Scolari, Carlo Ancelotti, and Pep Guardiola have commented on his tactical flexibility to play on the right or left flank, his crossing for forwards like Robert Lewandowski and his defensive work-rate in team pressing systems. Analysts compared his profile to other Brazilian wide attackers who featured for FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, while sports journalists in publications covering Bundesliga and Serie A assessed his injury record and consistency across long seasons. Supporters and commentators noted his ability to change games in counter-attacking scenarios and set-piece delivery.

Career statistics

Costa's senior club career spans appearances in Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Ukrainian Premier League, Primeira Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Major League Soccer, as well as matches in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. Internationally he has accumulated caps for the Brazil national football team across friendlies, qualifiers, and tournament finals. His statistics include goals, assists, and minute-by-minute contributions tracked by league organizers and governing bodies such as FIFA and CONMEBOL.

Honours and achievements

Costa's honours include multiple Ukrainian Premier League titles and Ukrainian Cup victories with Shakhtar Donetsk, Bundesliga championships and DFB-Pokal successes with FC Bayern Munich, and domestic trophies with Juventus F.C.. Individually he has received recognition in team-of-the-season lists and matchday accolades in competitions overseen by UEFA and national leagues. He also featured in Brazil squads that contested finals and knockout stages of Copa América and FIFA competitions.

Category:Brazilian footballers Category:Association football wingers Category:Expatriate footballers in Germany Category:Expatriate footballers in Italy Category:Expatriate footballers in Ukraine Category:Expatriate soccer players in the United States