Name:
Manuel Rui Costa
Date of Birth:
March 29, 1972
Position:
Midfielder
Clubs:
Fafe (Portugal), SL Benfica (Portugal), Fiorentina (Italy), AC Milan (Italy)
AskMen's Rating of Player:
(skills, leadership, etc., out of 100)
95
Importance to Team:
10 out of 10
Why is he a key player?:
Rui Costa is part of Portugal's Golden Generation of players that won the World Youth Cup in 1989 and 1991 (the equivalent of the World Cup for players under 21 years of age), who had many expectations placed upon them to succeed on the senior team. Though that has yet to occur, Rui Costa has had great success at the last three major clubs he has played on: Benfica, Fiorentina, and AC Milan.
He has developed into Portugal's main playmaker, thanks to his creativity and offensive prowess. Rui Costa is extremely valuable to Portugal. Some would say he is even more valuable than Luis Figo, because he is responsible for directing the flow of the game from defense to offense almost exclusively when playing for the national team. His transition game and his passing abilities have set him apart, making him one of the most coveted midfielders in the world. He can also score from any range, which makes him a dangerous weapon.
Though Rui Costa is suffering from an injury going into the World Cup, he will be out on the pitch. If he regains his form in time, he can help propel Portugal's fortunes. His weakness is inconsistency. We never know which Rui Costa is going to show up: the brilliant one or the inefficient one.
Related Links:
ACMilan-Online.com
» Rating:
9.0/10
RUI COSTA
