Douglas Costa facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the footballer born 1990. For the footballer born 1979 name Douglas da Costa Souza, see Bilica (footballer).

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Costa and the second or paternal family name is de Souza.

Quick facts for kids
Douglas Costa

Costa with Brazil in 2018

Personal information

Date of birth

14 September 1990 (age 34)

Place of birth

Sapucaia do Sul, Brazil

Height

1.72 m

Playing position

Winger

Club information

Current club

Sydney FC

Number

Youth career

2001–2002

Novo Hamburgo

2002–2008

Grêmio

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps^†

(Gls)^†

2008–2010

Grêmio

(2)

2010–2015

Shakhtar Donetsk

141

(29)

2015–2018

Bayern Munich

(8)

2017–2018

→ Juventus (loan)

(4)

2018–2022

Juventus

(2)

2020–2021

→ Bayern Munich (loan)

(1)

2021–2022

→ Grêmio (loan)

(3)

2022

→ LA Galaxy (loan)

(2)

2022–2023

LA Galaxy

(5)

2024

Fluminense

(0)

2024–

Sydney FC

(2)

National team^‡

2009

Brazil U20

(4)

2014–2018

Brazil

(3)

Honours

Men's Football

Representing Brazil
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Runner-up	2009 Egypt
South American U-20 Championship
Winner	2009 Venezuela

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 December 2024.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 November 2018

Douglas Costa de Souza (born on September 14, 1990) is a Brazilian professional footballer. He plays as a winger for A-League club Sydney FC. Douglas Costa is well-known for his amazing dribbling skills, incredible speed, quick acceleration, and great crossing ability.

He began his football journey with Grêmio in Brazil. In 2010, he moved to Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. With Shakhtar, he won many trophies, including three major titles in the 2010–11 season. In 2015, he joined Bayern Munich in Germany, where he won two league titles in a row. He then played for Juventus in Italy, first on loan and then permanently, winning more league titles and cups.

Douglas Costa has also played for his country, Brazil, since 2014. He represented Brazil in big tournaments like the 2015 Copa América and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Douglas Costa's Club Journey

Starting at Grêmio

Douglas Costa was born in Sapucaia do Sul, Brazil. He started playing football at age 11, joining the famous club Grêmio. He made his first team debut when he was just 18 years old in October 2008. In that very first game, he even scored a goal! He played six matches in his first season.

He played for Grêmio for a few years, making 37 appearances and scoring two goals.

Time at Shakhtar Donetsk

Joining Shakhtar (2010)

On January 10, 2010, Douglas Costa signed a five-year contract with Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. The deal was worth €6 million. His first game for Shakhtar was in the UEFA Europa League against Fulham. He came on as a substitute. He scored his first goal for the club in March 2010 against Metalist Kharkiv.

In his first season with Shakhtar, Douglas played 15 games and scored five goals. Shakhtar won the Ukrainian Premier League title, which was his first trophy with the club.

Winning Many Titles (2010–11)

Costa training with Shakhtar Donetsk in 2010

The 2010–11 season was very successful for Douglas Costa and Shakhtar. They won three major trophies: the Premier League, the Ukrainian Cup, and the Super Cup. Douglas played 39 games that season and scored seven goals. He also scored a penalty and helped with two goals in a Champions League win against Braga.

Continued Success (2011–12)

Costa playing for Shakhtar in 2011

In the 2011–12 season, Shakhtar continued their winning streak. They won the Premier League and the Ukrainian Cup again. This was Douglas Costa's third league title in three years with the club. He played 34 matches and scored six goals during this season.

Champions League Moments (2012–13)

Costa playing for Shakhtar in 2013

Douglas Costa started the 2012–13 season by scoring a goal in the Super Cup, which Shakhtar won. He scored important goals in the league. In the Champions League, he came off the bench to score a key goal in a 2–2 draw against Borussia Dortmund.

Final Seasons in Ukraine (2013–15)

In the 2013–14 season, Douglas helped Shakhtar win the Premier League again. He was also one of the top players for assists in the league. In his last season at Shakhtar, 2014–15, he played 33 games and scored 5 goals, including one in a big 7–0 win in the Champions League.

Moving to Bayern Munich

Costa playing for Bayern Munich in 2016

First Season in Germany (2015–16)

On July 1, 2015, Bayern Munich in Germany signed Douglas Costa for €30 million. He signed a five-year contract and was given the number 11 shirt. He made his debut in the German Supercup and scored his first league goal in a 5–0 win against Hamburger SV.

On May 21, 2016, Douglas Costa scored the winning penalty in the 2016 DFB-Pokal Final against Borussia Dortmund. This helped Bayern win both the league and the cup that season. He had a great first season, scoring seven goals and providing many assists.

Second Season at Bayern (2016–17)

In the 2016–17 season, Douglas Costa played under a new manager, Carlo Ancelotti. He faced some injuries but still played in 34 matches, scoring seven goals. He sometimes found it harder to get regular playing time.

Loan Spell at Juventus (2017–18)

On July 12, 2017, Douglas Costa joined Juventus in Italy on a loan deal. Juventus had the option to buy him permanently later. He made his debut in August and scored his first goal for the club in October. In his first season with Juventus, he scored four goals in the league and two goals in the Italian Cup, helping Juventus win both trophies. He was also very good at dribbling and setting up goals for his teammates.

Joining Juventus Permanently

First Permanent Season (2018–19)

Douglas Costa in 2019 in Champions League

On June 7, 2018, Juventus made Douglas Costa's move permanent, signing him to a four-year deal for €40 million. In September 2018, during a game against Sassuolo, Douglas Costa was sent off for a moment of frustration. He later apologized for his actions. He received a four-match ban for the incident.

Winning More Titles (2019–20)

On November 6, 2019, Douglas Costa scored his first Champions League goal for Juventus. On July 20, 2020, he played his 100th game for Juventus. He helped the team win another league title, making it three in a row with Juventus.

Back to Bayern on Loan (2020–21)

On October 5, 2020, Douglas Costa returned to Bayern Munich on a loan for the season. He scored his first goal back with Bayern in November. He helped Bayern win his third Bundesliga title before his loan ended in May 2021.

Loan Back to Grêmio (2021–22)

On May 21, 2021, Douglas Costa was loaned back to his first club, Grêmio, until June 2022.

Playing in the USA (LA Galaxy)

First Season in America (2022)

On February 10, 2022, Douglas Costa joined the Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy in the United States. He first joined on a six-month loan from Grêmio. After his loan, he signed a permanent contract with the team. He played 27 games and scored 4 goals in his first season.

Return to Brazil (Fluminense)

On January 28, 2024, Douglas Costa returned to Brazil to play for Fluminense. He helped the club win the 2024 Recopa Sudamericana title. He played 22 games for Fluminense before his contract ended in July 2024.

New Adventure in Australia (Sydney FC)

On August 26, 2024, it was announced that Douglas Costa signed a two-year deal with A-League club Sydney FC in Australia. He made his debut for Sydney FC on September 19, assisting a goal in a big 6–0 win.

Playing for Brazil

Costa on international duty, facing Russia in 2018

In November 2014, Douglas Costa was called up to the Brazil national team for the first time. He made his international debut against Turkey.

In May 2015, he was chosen for Brazil's squad for the 2015 Copa América. In Brazil's first match, he came on as a substitute and scored the winning goal in the last moments of the game against Peru. This was his first goal for Brazil. He also played in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia in 2018.

How Douglas Costa Plays

Douglas Costa about to cross the ball in a friendly against Austria in 2018

Douglas Costa is known for being a very talented player. He is not very tall but is quick and has a good eye for scoring goals. He started his career as a forward or attacking midfielder. Later, he became a versatile winger, meaning he can play on either side of the field. He is known for his energy and hard work. He can also shoot powerfully and accurately with both feet, but he often prefers to play on the right wing so he can cut inside and shoot with his stronger left foot.

He is nicknamed the Flash because of his incredible speed, quickness, and explosive acceleration, both with and without the ball. He is also famous for his dribbling skills, technical ability, creativity, and clever tricks with the ball. These skills help him get past defenders easily. He is also very good at crossing the ball from the left side, which makes him an excellent player for setting up goals for his teammates. His former Bayern Munich manager, Pep Guardiola, once called him "one of the best wingers in the world."

Career statistics

Club

Club	Season	League			State League		Cup		Continental		Other		Total		Ref.
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Ref.
Grêmio	2008	Série A	6	1	0	0	0	0	—		—		6	1
	2009	Série A	22	1	7	0	0	0	2	0	—		31	1
	Total		28	2	7	0	0	0	2	0	—		37	2	—
Shakhtar Donetsk	2009–10	Ukrainian Premier League	13	5	—		0	0	2	0	—		15	5
	2010–11		27	5	—		4	0	10	2	1	0	42	7
	2011–12		27	6	—		4	1	5	0	1	0	37	6
	2012–13		27	5	—		3	0	5	1	1	1	36	7
	2013–14		27	4	—		3	1	8	2	1	0	39	7
	2014–15		20	4	—		5	0	8	1	0	0	33	5
	Total		141	29	—		19	2	38	6	4	1	202	38	—
Bayern Munich	2015–16	Bundesliga	27	4	—		4	1	11	2	1	0	43	7
	2016–17	Bundesliga	23	4	—		2	1	9	2	0	0	34	7
	Total		50	8	—		6	2	20	4	1	0	77	14	—
Juventus (loan)	2017–18	Serie A	31	4	—		5	2	10	0	1	0	47	6
Juventus	2018–19		17	1	—		2	0	5	0	1	0	25	1
	2019–20		23	1	—		4	1	1	1	1	0	29	3
	2020–21		2	0	—		0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
	Total		73	6	—		11	3	16	1	3	0	103	10	—
Bayern Munich (loan)	2020–21	Bundesliga	11	1	—		2	0	6	0	1	0	20	1
Grêmio (loan)	2021	Série A	26	3	—		1	0	1	0	—		28	3
LA Galaxy	2022	Major League Soccer	27	4	—		—		—		2	0	29	4
	2023	Major League Soccer	19	3	—		1	1	—		2	0	22	4
	Total		46	7	—		1	1	—		4	0	51	8	—
Fluminense	2024	Série A	10	0	5	0	1	0	4	0	2	0	22	0
Career total			384	56	12	0	41	8	87	11	15	1	539	76	—

1.Includes Copa do Brasil, Ukrainian Cup, DFB-Pokal, Coppa Italia and U.S. Open Cup
2.Includes Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup/Europa League
3.Includes Ukrainian Super Cup, DFL-Supercup, Supercoppa Italiana, FIFA Club World Cup, MLS Cup Playoffs, Leagues Cup and Recopa Sudamericana
4.Includes Campeonato Gaúcho and Campeonato Carioca

International

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Brazil	2014	2	0
	2015	13	2
	2016	4	1
	2017	3	0
	2018	9	0
Total		31	3

Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Douglas Costa
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	14 June 2015	Estadio Municipal Germán Becker, Temuco, Chile	Peru	2–1	2–1	2015 Copa América
2	17 November 2015	Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil	Peru	1–0	3–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3	26 March 2016	Itaipava Arena Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil	Uruguay	1–0	2–2	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification