Chelsea have seen many strikers pass through Stamford Bridge in this century. Few left a mark quite like Diego Costa, who has now officially announced his retirement at the age of 37.
The former Blues forward confirmed the decision in an interview with the podcast El camino de Mario, hosted by his former teammate Mario Suárez. “It has been a while since I retired. My agent was looking for something here and there, but my desire to keep playing ended,” he said.
Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte reported that story and recalled Costa had not played a competitive match since December 2024, when he featured for Grêmio in Brazil. However, for Chelsea supporters, his story is firmly tied to the club’s most dominant recent era.
Premier League winner with bite
Chelsea signed Costa from Atlético Madrid in 2014. In his first season, he scored 20 Premier League goals and helped the club win the title under José Mourinho. He followed that with another league triumph in 2016-17, this time under Antonio Conte, again finishing as a key attacking figure.
Costa’s style divided opinion across England. He was confrontational, physical and relentless. Yet he was decisive. He scored crucial goals in big matches and gave Chelsea a cutting edge they had often lacked in tight contests.
In total, he won two Premier League titles and one League Cup with the Blues. Across all competitions, he scored 59 goals in 120 appearances. That return underlines how central he was to Chelsea’s success in that period.
From Stamford Bridge to the wider stage
After leaving Chelsea in 2018, Costa returned to Atlético Madrid. He later had spells in Brazil with Atlético-MG, Botafogo and Grêmio. His final official appearance came at the end of 2024.
Still, his prime years belonged to the Premier League. He also represented Spain at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, despite being born in Sergipe, Brazil.
A mark in Chelsea’s recent history
Time has softened the edges of the controversy around his Stamford Bridge exit. What remains is the silverware and the goals.
Costa was not subtle. He was not universally loved outside west London. However, during his peak, he embodied a ruthless Chelsea side built to win at any cost.
For a club that has since struggled to find long-term stability up front, his retirement also serves as a reminder. Reliable, title-winning number nines are rare. Chelsea had one in Diego Costa – and they knew it when he was at his best.