Kiko Costa lights up EHF EURO on his debut

Portugal’s opening match at the Men’s EHF EURO 2024 against Greece last Thursday is four minutes and 42 seconds old when Francisco Costa finds the net behind goalkeeper Petros Boukovinas for the first time to put his team 3:2 ahead.

A steal mid-court and a quick pass from left wing Leonel Fernandes sets him up for the unusual goal – unusual as right back Costa is coming in from the left side this time.

But then again, what is not unusual about Costa?

Long tipped as one of handball’s brightest prospects, the Portuguese youngster has been living up to his billing for years now – with his club Sporting CP in the EHF European League and now with the national team in his first senior EHF EURO in Germany.

And ‘Kiko’ only turns 19 next month.

Portugal ultimately beat Greece 31:24 and Costa leaves the court at the Olympiahalle in Munich as the top scorer with six goals – all in the first half. And his 28.12km/h sprint is only topped by Greek left wing Christos Kederis, the Player of the Match.

But don’t think Costa gets carried away, on the contrary.

“I played not very good, but normal,” he says right after the game, and his will to improve prevails over satisfaction as he points out that he might have scored six times, but also failed to convert three other chances.

“I missed some balls, some passes. But my teammates said: ‘Keep going, keep fighting.’ That was really important for me,” he adds.

Costa’s debut comes one year after his first major event with the Portuguese senior national team, the 2023 IHF World Championship in Poland and Sweden. Portugal finished 13th and Costa contributed 17 goals, including two in the team’s first match against Iceland.

Despite last year’s experience, Costa admits he has felt some jitters before his first match at the EHF EURO.

“I was a little nervous. For me it’s a dream to play the European championship. Last year I played the world championship, but the European championship has a different atmosphere,” he says.

Costa’s convincing start into his first senior EHF EURO is another confirmation that his rising star is reaching new heights – less than three years after his international breakthrough at junior level.

Portugal finished sixth at the Men’s 19 EHF EURO in the summer of 2021 in Croatia, where the 16-year-young Costa scored 46 times and made the All-star Team – as right wing.

That achievement earned him a place in the EHF Respect Your Talent programme, which helps young players prepare for all aspects of their career journeys on and off the courts.

The following year, Portugal hosted the M20 EHF EURO 2022. Led by Francisco and his older brother, left back Martim, Portugal stole the hearts of not only the home fans as their free-flowing playing style brought the team all the way to the final.

They came agonisingly close to winning the title. Despite Costa’s 11-goal outing, raising his tally to a tournament-leading 58, Spain took the trophy with a dramatic 37:35 win. Again, he made the All-star Team – this time as right back.

Costa’s constant development at international level also reflects in his personal achievements with Sporting in the EHF European League, as his number of goals is dazzling.

He netted no less than 61 times in his debut campaign in 2021/22, and 97 times the following season. After the group matches, and before Sporting head into the main round starting in February, his 2023/24 tally stands at 32; in five of his team’s six matches, he has scored five goals or more.

The opening match against Greece suggests that the EUF EURO in Germany is the next big stage where Costa is set to impress.

“The first match in the European championship is nervous, everything feels this nervous,” says Costa, as if he wants to send a warning to Portugal’s upcoming opponents in group F: Czechia on Saturday (live on EHFTV at 18:00 CET), and three-time world champions and tournament favourites Denmark on Monday.

“Of course, for my career this European championship is very important. If you do a perfect match, other teams are looking at you,” says Costa about presenting himself on Europe’s biggest national team stage for the first time.

But he adds right away that the EHF EURO is not about him, it is about the Portuguese team.

“The important thing is the national team,” he says. “The next game with Czechia is the important thing.”