David Costa Bio
David Pereira da Costa, sometimes known as David Da Costa, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Major League Soccer club Portland Timbers. Standing 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) tall and wearing the number 10 shirt, he is recognized for his creativity in the final third and his ability to operate across the attacking line. He began his professional career in France with RC Lens before making the move to North American soccer in 2025.
Born in Almada, Portugal, Costa developed through the Lens youth academy and rose quickly through the club’s reserve side before establishing himself in Ligue 1. His combination of technical skill, vision, and directness from wide or central positions has marked him as a notable Portuguese talent of his generation.
Early Life and Background
David Pereira da Costa was born on 5 January 2001 in Almada, a city across the Tagus River from Lisbon, Portugal. He grew up in a large family as one of six children, an environment that helped shape his competitive character and his love for the game from an early age. Portugal has a deep football culture, and Costa’s early experiences in Almada exposed him to the sport through local play and street football before he entered organized development pathways.
Costa is of Cape Verdean descent, reflecting the broader Portuguese-speaking diaspora that has contributed significantly to the country’s football tradition. At the age of nine, he relocated to France, a move that would ultimately redirect his footballing future toward the academy system of RC Lens in northern France. This transition from southern Europe to the French football development model provided him with a different tactical and physical grounding at a formative stage of his career.
Path to Professional Soccer
Costa joined the RC Lens youth academy in 2013 at the age of 12, beginning a six-year development period within one of France’s historic clubs. The Lens academy is known for producing technically sharp players, and Costa refined his game as an attacking midfielder and winger while progressing through the age groups. By 2019, he had advanced far enough to earn his first professional agreement with the club.
On 10 January 2019, Costa signed his first professional contract with Lens, marking the official start of his senior football journey. He was initially integrated into the club’s reserve side, Lens II, where he would spend the next several seasons gaining experience and adapting to the demands of regular competitive football. This gradual pathway from academy to reserve team laid the foundation for his later promotion to the first team.
David Costa Career
Early Career at Lens (2019–2023)
Costa began his senior career with Lens II, the club’s reserve team competing in the lower tiers of French football, where he played from 2019 through 2023. His time with the reserve side allowed him to accumulate meaningful minutes, develop his physical conditioning, and translate his academy training into match performance. Working with experienced coaches and alongside older professionals helped him adjust to the tactical discipline required at the senior level.
While developing with Lens II, Costa also represented Portugal at youth international level, earning caps with the Portugal U18 side in 2019 and the Portugal U19 setup in 2020. These international experiences complemented his club development and gave him exposure to varied playing styles and tournament settings. His steady progression through both club and country pointed toward an eventual breakthrough at the highest level of French football.
Lens Breakthrough in Ligue 1 (2020–2025)
Costa’s first-team debut arrived on 3 October 2020, when he featured in a Ligue 1 match against Saint-Étienne that Lens won 2–0. The appearance signaled the club’s confidence in his readiness for top-flight football, and he continued to be integrated into the senior squad alongside his reserve commitments. He opened his professional goalscoring account on 3 March 2021, finding the net against the same opponent, Saint-Étienne, in a memorable personal milestone.
On 23 June 2021, Costa committed his future to Lens by extending his contract through 2024, a deal that reflected both his growing importance to the team and the club’s belief in his potential. Over the following seasons, he established himself as a regular contributor in the attacking third, combining creative passing with the ability to take on defenders in wide areas. He also continued his international development with the Portugal U21 squad from 2022 to 2023, further cementing his status among Portugal’s promising young players.
Portland Timbers Era (2025–Present)
On 17 February 2025, David Pereira da Costa completed a move to Major League Soccer side Portland Timbers, signing a four-year contract for a reported transfer fee of $6 million. The transfer marked the end of a long association with RC Lens and the beginning of a new chapter in North American soccer. He joined the Timbers as a designated creative outlet in attack, taking on the number 10 shirt and a role built around his ability to link midfield and forward lines.
His arrival in Portland was viewed as a statement signing for the club, which sought to add European top-flight experience to its attacking group. Costa brought with him several seasons of Ligue 1 seasoning and youth international pedigree, qualities expected to translate well into the MLS environment. As the 2025 season unfolds, he has been tasked with helping drive the Timbers’ push up the Western Conference standings and contributing both goals and assists from advanced positions.
Driving Style and Strengths
Costa is best utilized as an attacking midfielder or winger, where his low center of gravity, close control, and willingness to dribble at defenders stand out. He combines technical passing with a direct attacking mindset, often looking to penetrate defensive lines through combination play or individual runs. His comfort operating in tight spaces, paired with his experience in the structured French system, gives him a balanced profile suited to the varied demands of Major League Soccer.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of his early career are his professional debut against Saint-Étienne in October 2020, his first senior goal against the same opponent in March 2021, and his high-profile transfer to the Portland Timbers in February 2025. His progression from Lens II captaincy to a Ligue 1 regular and then to an MLS number 10 reflects a steady, step-by-step ascent through professional football. His continued selection for Portugal’s youth teams underscores his standing within the country’s emerging generation of attacking talent.
David Costa Family
Family Background and Personal Life
David Pereira da Costa was born in Almada, Portugal, as one of six children, and he is of Cape Verdean descent. His large family background and early relocation from Portugal to France at the age of nine were formative experiences that shaped both his personal character and his footballing path. Public details about his parents and any spouse or children are not widely documented in verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 campaign represents David Pereira da Costa’s first season with the Portland Timbers following his February transfer from RC Lens. Wearing the number 10 shirt, he has been deployed primarily as an attacking midfielder and wide creator within the team’s offensive structure. His adaptation to the pace, travel demands, and tactical variety of Major League Soccer is a central storyline of his debut MLS year.
Throughout the early portion of the season, Costa has been tasked with providing creativity, chance creation, and pressing intensity from advanced areas. His prior experience in Ligue 1 and his years of European development have positioned him as a key figure in the Timbers’ ambitions to climb the Western Conference standings. Team dynamics and the integration of his skill set into the existing squad will likely shape both his individual output and the club’s overall form.
Looking ahead across the rest of 2025, Costa’s outlook centers on consistent contributions in goals and assists, continued adaptation to MLS competition, and helping Portland push toward playoff contention. His four-year contract provides a long-term platform to grow into a central role for the Timbers while representing one of the more notable Portuguese signings in recent league history.