Follow Portugal Investment Immigration and Portugal News: For Portugal to secure a point on home soil and lock in a playoff spot, the first person to thank is not the 94-million-euro Cristiano Ronaldo, but the 32-year-old Ricardo Costa, valued at only 3 million euros. In his 8-year national team career, this maiden goal of his is worth its weight in gold.
The Portuguese national team has never lacked talent in its defensive line. The pairing of Pepe and Bruno Alves has been rock solid; unless due to injury, the coach generally does not make adjustments to the center-back position. The last time Pepe was injured, Bento had Neto and Bruno Alves form a new defensive partnership. This time, with Bruno Alves injured, the Portuguese media generally predicted that Neto would pair with Pepe, but unexpectedly, Bento chose the more experienced Ricardo Costa.
This was Ricardo Costa's 14th appearance for Portugal in his 8-year national team career, and his first in these World Cup qualifiers. Bento should be pleased with his choice. In the 28th minute of the match, Antunes sent a diagonal cross into the penalty area from the left, Pepe cushioned the ball from the far post, and Ricardo Costa flew in to head it into the net! A beautiful goal!
This goal from the 32-year-old veteran gave Portuguese fans peace of mind. Although Portugal lost the 3 points they had in their grasp due to a mistake by Rui Patrício in the final moments, Ricardo Costa's goal was equally valuable. With the 1 point earned from this match, Portugal secured 2nd place in the group with 18 points, ensuring a playoff spot, and theoretically, there is still a possibility of competing with Russia for the top spot in the group.
Although the Portuguese media felt frustrated about the draw with Israel, they acknowledged Ricardo Costa's performance, as it was he who helped Portugal secure the playoff spot. Ricardo Costa himself said: "We controlled the game today, but lost the victory due to a mistake. However, we have secured a playoff spot, and I think that is the most important thing."
Since his first selection for the Portuguese national team in 2005, Ricardo Costa has always been a fringe player. In these 8 years, Ricardo Costa has only played 14 times for the national team. But even an underdog can have their day; the Valencia defender seized this opportunity well. At 32, Ricardo Costa became Portugal's brightest star—at least for this match, his brilliance outshone Cristiano Ronaldo.
