Rui Costa

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Rui Costa's journey to AC Milan began not with a dream of joining them first, but through a chain of events rooted in his time at Fiorentina. In the 2000–01 season, coach Fatih Terim moved from Fiorentina to Milan and brought Costa along for €43.89 million (85 billion lire), making him the club's most expensive signing ever. His debut on September 27, 2001, was dramatic: he scored in a 4–0 UEFA Cup victory over BATE Borisov. Though injuries hampered his first season, Costa shone in the 2002–03 campaign. On September 24, 2002, he assisted three goals in a Champions League win at Deportivo de La Coruña, earning praise from a commentator who called him "three times better than Zinedine Zidane." He later scored the equalizer in a Coppa Italia semi-final and started the 2003 Champions League final against Juventus before being substituted injured. The Rossoneri won on penalties, with Costa crossing for Shevchenko's winning goal in the UEFA Super Cup days later.

In Their Own Story

Costa's return to Benfica in 2006 marked a full-circle moment, fulfilling a lifelong dream after agreeing to end his €4.6 million annual contract at Milan. He immediately made an impact, scoring in a Champions League qualifier against Austria Wien and earning SJPF Player of the Month for September 2007. His final season was bittersweet; injuries limited him, but he still delivered a brace against Copenhagen to secure Champions League qualification. On September 18, 2007, he returned to San Siro one last time as a Benfica player, facing his former club Milan in the group stage. After playing his final professional match on May 11, 2008, against Vitória de Setúbal, Costa retired to applause at the Estádio da Luz. Though his last two seasons were trophyless, his legacy as a Benfica icon and European maestro remained intact.

Reader's Guide

For fans of Rui Costa, understanding his career requires appreciating his versatility and resilience. Primarily an attacking midfielder (the classic number 10), he could also operate as a deep-lying playmaker, second striker, or winger. His technical gifts—dribbling, vision, precise passing—made him an elite assist provider. Key moments include his penalty in the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship final, six goals in Euro 2000 qualifiers, and a long-range strike against England in the Euro 2004 quarter-finals (which he missed in the subsequent shootout). Despite being dropped by manager Luiz Felipe Scolari during Euro 2004 after criticism over Deco's selection, Costa returned as a substitute to help secure victories. His career stats reflect consistency: 94 caps, 26 goals, and multiple domestic and European titles across three countries.

Did You Know?

• Rui Costa scored the winning penalty for Portugal in the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship final against Brazil.
• He was sent off only once in his entire career: on September 6, 1997, for leaving the pitch too slowly during a World Cup qualifier against Germany.
• In the 2003 UEFA Champions League final, Costa started but was substituted injured near the end of regulation time as Milan won on penalties.
• A commentator famously declared Costa was 'three times better than Zinedine Zidane' after he assisted three goals in a single Champions League match against Deportivo de La Coruña.
• Costa became AC Milan's most expensive transfer ever at the time, costing 85 billion lire (€43.9 million) when signed from Fiorentina by Fatih Terim.