Rodrigo da Costa (beach soccer)

Rodrigo da Costa (born 16 August 1993), better known simply as Rodrigo, is a Brazilian beach soccer player who plays as a forward. He won the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup representing Brazil and claimed the Silver Shoe (second highest scorer) award at the competition; he has also appeared at two other World Cups (2015, 2019).[1]

Rodrigo
Rodrigo at the 2019 South American Beach Games.
Personal information
Full name Rodrigo da Costa
Date of birth (1993-08-16) 16 August 1993
Place of birth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Forward
Number 9
National team‡
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014– Brazil 99 (141)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of January 2020

Rodrigo is considered one of the world's top players, as recognised at the 2019 Beach Soccer Stars awards.

Biography

Rodrigo grew up playing casual beach soccer on Copacabana beach. He joined his first competitive club, Botafogo, in 2011, aged 18. Three years later in 2014, aged 21, Rodrgio was called up to the Brazilian national team for the first time and was subsequently picked for the 2015 World Cup squad.[2]

He particularly came to prominence in 2016, aged 23, when he won MVP awards in the Russian Superleague and won the Rising Star commendation at the Beach Soccer Stars awards ceremony.[2] The next year, he inspired Brazil to their 2017 World Cup victory in the Bahamas, winning the Silver Shoe (second highest scorer) award with nine goals.[3] In 2017, Rodrigo also joined top Russian club, Kristall. As of 2020, he has scored 150 goals in 112 games for the club in all competitions.[4]

He cemented his place as one of the world's best players when he was named as one of the world's top three players and part of the team of the year at the 2019 Beach Soccer Stars ceremony.[2] Rodrigo now sits just outside the top 10 of Brazil's all-time top scorers.[5]

Rodrigo worked in a stationery shop before pursuing beach soccer. He credits his parents for teaching discipline and respect. As of 2020, he lives in his homeland with his father; he himself is a father.[2]

Statistics

Honours

The following is a selection, not an exhaustive list, of the major honours Rodrigo has achieved:[1][2]

Individual

References
  1. RODRIGO. CBSB. 1 March 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  2. “With beach soccer I can show the kids of the favela that it is possible to follow a good path in life”. Beach Soccer Worldwide. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  3. Brazil crowned world champions in The Bahamas. Beach Soccer Worldwide. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  4. RODRIGO SUAREZ DA COSTA. BSC Kristall. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  5. Top scorers. CBSB. 1 March 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
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