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We all remember Diego Costa as a devastating finisher, but apparently his ball control wasn't bad either.
The maverick ex-Chelsea striker, 35, played the role of pantomime villain throughout his memorable stint in England. He was a master of the dark arts, blending thuggery with semi-endearing underhandedness to fire the Blues to two Premier League titles and a League Cup triumph in three seasons.
Costa's former team-mate John Obi Mikel, 36, described him as "absolutely crazy" and claimed he would randomly grab players' private parts when they were in the dressing room. He also said the fact Costa didn't speak a word of English meant his antics were all the more bewildering.
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"Diego Costa [was the biggest joker at Chelsea]," the Nigerian former midfielder said on The Obi One podcast. "He was a crazy, crazy guy. He comes in the dressing room and he just messes about. On the pitch during he's training he's fine but after training in the dressing he's absolutely crazy.
"He screams, he speaks no word of English, he's cursing and screaming and shouting and dancing, and flipping everybody with a towel, grabbing what he can grab. He can grab your private parts, everything."
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Some members of the squad would let Costa off the hook because he was Brazilian, but Mikel said he wasn't sure that was a good enough excuse. "If you're saying this is your culture, Oscar is not like that, Ramires is not like that, Willian is not like that," he laughed. "How come you're the only one who is like this from Brazil? It's definitely not your culture, that's just who you are."
Costa joined the Blues from Atletico Madrid in 2014 and scored 59 goals in 120 games before moving back to the Spanish capital in 2018. He formed deadly partnerships with the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard as Chelsea romped to title wins in 2015 and 2017.
Despite his malevolent reputation, which earned him the nickname 'The Guvnor', Costa was never sent in off in a Chelsea shirt. He did, however, receive a retrospective three-match ban following two stamp incidents in a victory over Liverpool in 2015.
An off-field bust-up with manager Antonio Conte forced him into exile at the end of the 2016/17 season and he left the club acrimoniously in January 2018. After a stint back at Atletico, and a brief spell in his native Brazil, he returned to English football with Wolves in 2022.
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He received a standing ovation from Chelsea fans when Wolves visited Stamford Bridge in October, though his stint at Molineux was a largely forgettable one. He scored just once in 25 appearances, and left the club after just one season. He currently plays for Brazilian outfit Botafogo.
- Chelsea FC
- Premier League
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