Diego Costa admits ‘I wish I was like Cristiano Ronaldo’ after his Portugal-Spain hat-trick but knows ‘I have to work hard and keep my mouth shut’.
Costa scored twice in a surprise start for Spain during their World Cup opener on Friday, but his goals were overshadowed by Ronaldo’s treble, which salvaged Portugal a 3-3 draw.
“You have to congratulate Cristiano. Criticise him and look what happens… It’s better to leave him alone, I wish I was like him,” the Atletico Madrid striker told Cadena COPE after the game.
He added in the mixed zone: “I’m very happy, but we had the game tied up and a foul let them equalise.
“It was a very nice and well-contested match, but we leave here with a strange feeling. We came back from behind and had it in our hands yet let it escape.
“It was a strange game, but I think we deserved to win, we created much more than them and had more of the ball. We came back twice but it wasn’t to be.
“We know we have to go out on the pitch and give everything, for our people and families.
“I have to work hard and keep my mouth shut. Goals are very important, but the truth is that I felt good for the whole game.
“Starting striker? There must always be debates because that implies there’s competition, and that’s good for the national team.
“Anything can happen in football. Yesterday was bad and today… We’re a family. De Gea is a great goalkeeper, we know his quality. A family always supports its own.
“I’ve always accepted criticism because it’s normal if things don’t go well.”
