Diogo Costa, the Futebol Clube do Porto and Portugal goalkeeper, won praise from across world football for his performance against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, even though Porto lost the match 0-2 at the Estádio do Dragão.
Foreign media and several decorated former players said Costa's display overshadowed the result, with some expressing surprise that the goalkeeper was left off the shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or, the award given annually to the world's best player.
Legends react to Costa's display
Peter Schmeichel, the former Manchester United goalkeeper who also won titles with Sporting Clube de Portugal, told CBS News that there comes a moment when a goalkeeper starts to get inside the heads of his opponents, and that he believed Diogo Costa had reached that point on the night.
Ian Wright, the former Arsenal forward, said people simply had to stop and appreciate Costa, and questioned how long Porto could realistically keep hold of a goalkeeper of that quality.
Rio Ferdinand, the former Manchester United defender, said the only real question was how Diogo Costa was still at Porto.
Haaland's praise despite scoring twice
Erling Haaland, the Manchester City and Norway forward who scored both of City's goals at the Dragão, said after the match that Costa's performance deserved Ballon d'Or recognition, or at least a place among the nominees for the award.
A video accompanying the coverage highlighted how central Costa, who wears the number 99 shirt, has become to Porto's team.
Another clip recapped the match itself, in which Manchester City beat Porto at the Dragão with two goals from Haaland.
Next meeting between Haaland and Costa
The duel between the Norwegian forward and the Portuguese goalkeeper set up anticipation for a second head-to-head between the two, who are due to face each other again on the 27th, when Norway play Portugal in a UEFA Nations League match.
