Hélder Costa (footballer)


Hélder Wander Sousa de Azevedo e Costa is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Championship club Leeds United and the Portugal national team.
Formed at Benfica where he made single Taça da Liga, he spent most of his career abroad, including at Deportivo in La Liga and Monaco in Ligue 1. He also spent several years in England with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United, winning the EFL Championship for both.
He has represented Portugal from under-16 all the way through to the senior side.

Club career

Benfica

On 11 August 2012, Costa made his professional debut with Benfica B in a 2012–13 Segunda Liga match against Braga B where he played 72 minutes as a winger.
His first professional goal came on 23 August 2013, in a 3–0 home win over Portimonense, one of eight that season including on 23 November in a 4–3 triumph against Oliveirense in which he was also sent off.
On 25 January 2014, Costa debuted with Benfica in a 2013–14 Taça da Liga third round match against Gil Vicente, playing the final 13 minutes of the 1–0 win at the Estádio da Luz as a substitute for Miralem Sulejmani; he played no further part as Benfica went on to win the tournament. On 5 November 2014, he scored a hat-trick in Segunda Liga against Olhanense in a home win.
He came through the Benfica academy in the same age group as fellow Portugal internationals Ivan Cavaleiro and Bernardo Silva.

Deportivo (loan)

On 19 January 2015, Costa was loaned to La Liga's Deportivo de La Coruña until the end of the season. He made six appearances for the Galicians, all from the bench.

Monaco (loan)

On 10 July 2015, Costa joined Ligue 1 club Monaco on a one-year loan, he was signed alongside Benfica teammates Ivan Cavaleiro and Bernardo Silva He scored his first goal in a top division on 8 November, opening an eventual 3–1 loss away to Bordeaux. Costa also provided the assist for Kylian Mbappe's first ever league goal for Monaco in a 3–1 victory against Troyes AC on 26 February 2016, with Mbappe becoming Monaco's youngest ever league scorer in the process.
He played 28 times scoring 5 goals in all competitions for Monaco during the 2015–16 season, facing competition out wide from the likes of Bernardo Silva, Thomas Lemar and Kylian Mbappe.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On 29 July 2016, Costa moved on a season-long loan to EFL Championship club Wolverhampton Wanderers, for whom he made his debut on 6 August as a substitute in a 2–2 draw at Rotherham United. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 EFL Cup win against Cambridge United on 23 August. He scored his first league goal on 17 September in a 2–0 win against Newcastle United at St James' Park, before scoring in the Midlands derby 1–1 draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park on 15 October. Costa was also praised for his performance against Premier League side Liverpool in the FA Cup, with Wolves causing a shock 2–1 win at Anfield with Costa gaining an assist for both Wolves goals.
On 30 January 2017, Costa signed permanently on a four-and-a-half year deal worth a reported £13 million, breaking Wolverhampton Wanderers transfer record at the time. After scoring 12 goals and 8 assists in all competitions in his first season, at the annual end of season awards, he won the 2016/17 Wolves Player of the Season Award, also picking up the Players Player of The Year Award and winning Goal of the season for his skilful goal against Cardiff City.
Costa scored his first goal of the 2017–18 season, in a 4–1 win against Leeds United on 22 November 2017. He picked up a winner's medal during the 2017–18 EFL Championship, contributing five goals and 6 assists in the league over the course of the season.
Costa made his first Premier League appearance on 11 August 2018, in Wolves' opening game of the season in a 2–2 draw against Everton, and scored his first goal of the season on 28 August in a 2–0 win against Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup. He scored his first topp-flight goal in a 3–1 win against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium on 29 December. He made 30 appearances for Wolves in all competitions during the 2018–19 season as he helped the side to a 7th place finish, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.

Leeds United

On 3 July 2019, Costa moved to Championship club Leeds United on loan for the 2019–20 season. The deal was to become a permanent four-year one in July 2020 for a fee of around £15 million, He was given the number 17 shirt, making him the first player since 2014 to wear it, after the shirt was brought out of retirement. He made his debut on the 4 August in Leeds' opening day 3–1 victory against Bristol City, and had his first start on 13 August in the EFL Cup against Salford City, making two assists.
Costa scored his first goal for the club on 27 August in Leeds' EFL Cup match against Stoke City, the equaliser that sent the tie to a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw in normal time, with him also scoring his penalty in the ensuing penalty shootout as Leeds lost it 4–5.
He scored his first league goal on 30 November in a 4-0 victory against Middlesbrough.
Costa signed permanently with Leeds on 7 July 2020 on a four-year deal.

International career

Born in Angola, Costa represents Portugal at international level, he played for Portugal at the 2013 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. Although he did not score in the team's run to the semi-finals, he was named in the Team of the Tournament.
Costa also represented Portugal at the 2014 Toulon Tournament.
Costa received his first call-up to the senior squad ahead of the UEFA Nations League fixtures in October 2018 and made his full international debut in a friendly against Scotland at Hampden Park on 14 October 2018 in a 3–1 win in which he scored the opening goal. Portugal would eventually go on to win the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League by beating the Netherlands 1–0 in the final game; however he was not picked in the squad for the semi-final and final.

Style of play

Costa can play as a winger on either side of the pitch; he can also play as a forward. He is known for his skill, pace, trickery and creativity.

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.14 October 2018Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland1–03–1Friendly

Club statistics

Honours

Benfica
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Leeds United
Individual