Goal efficiency
How clinical and direct the player was in front of goal — volume, accuracy, and conversion.
Al-Nassr · Copa del Rey · Midfielder · #11 · Portugal · 25 yrs
Samú Costa plays as a midfielder for Al-Nassr. Samú Costa is a Portuguese international, 25 years old, midfielder, currently at Al-Nassr. Samú Costa wears shirt number 11 for Al-Nassr. Samú Costa was born in Aveiro, Portugal on 2000-11-27. Samú Costa is 183 cm tall and weighs 75 kg. Samú Costa's Sportra profile tracks season statistics across Copa del Rey, Friendlies, World Cup, UEFA Nations League, and other leagues. Samú Costa's page brings together career clubs, trophies, injury history, multi-competition stats, and related news headlines. On Sportra you can explore Samú Costa season statistics, transfer history, trophies, injury updates, and related news across every competition tracked in the profile.
| Season | Team |
|---|---|
| 2026 |  Portugal POR |
| 2025 |  Mallorca MAL |
| 2025 |  Portugal U21 POR |
| 2024 | Mallorca MAL |
| 2024 | Portugal POR |
| Date | Type | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-09 | Transfer | Mallorca MAL |  Al-Nassr NAS |
| 2023-08-10 | € 3M |  Almeria ALM | Mallorca MAL |
| 2021-06-12 | € 5.3M |  SC Braga BRA | Almeria ALM |
Season intelligence
Profile as Midfielder: pressure magnet, defensive work, high usage. Archetype: Ball-winning midfielder. Season rating 7.3.
Scaled 0–99 from season output — map to fantasy, comparisons, or scouting cards.
Per-90 rates, efficiency ratios, and Sportra indices from season totals.
How clinical and direct the player was in front of goal — volume, accuracy, and conversion.
Playmaking output: assists, key passes, and custom chance-creation signals.
How often they draw fouls and stay out of trouble with cards.
Tackles, duels, and off-ball defensive contribution.
Shot-stopping, goals conceded, and penalty saves.
Minutes, availability, and how central they were to the team.
Every tracked category for this league and season, grouped by Sportra.
Joao Felix refused to speak with reporters after Al Nassr's first loss of the season, cryptically warning he would "expose this league" if he did. Joao Felix left reporters stunned in the mixed zone following Al Nassr’s 2-1 defeat to Al Ittihad on Friday, a result that cost Ange Postecoglou’s side their unbeaten start to the season and handed sole possession of first place to Al Hilal. The Portuguese forward, who played the full match alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in attack, appeared visibly frustrated for much of the second half, particularly after picking up a yellow card for a challenge on Al Ittihad midfielder Richard Rios that he clearly felt was harsh. That frustration spilled over once the final whistle blew. “I won’t speak to you, because if I do, I’ll expose this league,” Felix said while rushing past reporters without stopping for further comment. Whether Felix’s remarks were aimed specifically at the referee’s performance in Friday’s match or at broader officiating issues within the Saudi Pro League remains unclear, since he declined to explain himself any further before leaving the stadium. Joao Felix: “I won't speak to you, because if I do, I'll expose this league” pic.twitter.com/oMzsoQBvzO— Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) September 5, 2026 Joao Felix set to miss Al Nassr’s next match Felix’s yellow card against Rios was his fourth of the season, which under Article 12 of the Saudi Pro League’s competition regulations, triggers an automatic one-match suspension for accumulating four bookings across different matches. That means the Portuguese forward will be unavailable for Al Nassr‘s next league fixture against Abha on September 9, leaving Postecoglou to reshuffle his attacking options as the club looks to respond to its first loss of the campaign. Felix leaves the pitch frustrated with the officiating Video circulating after the match, shared by Al Nassr Tribune, showed Felix and Samu Costa clearly unhappy with referee Khaled Al-Turais’ performance as they made their way off the pitch, still airing their frustrations well after the final whistle had blown. João Félix and Samú Costa were clearly unhappy with Referee Khaled Al-Turais' performance tonight.😖 pic.twitter.com/EPxrhMN6gq— The Nassr Tribune™️ (@AlNassrTribune) September 5, 2026 The footage adds further context to Felix’s cryptic comments in the mixed zone, suggesting his complaint extended beyond his own yellow card to the officiating as a whole throughout the match.
Ghareeb has already reached an agreement to remain with the Saudi giants, but there is still one major hurdle standing between that agreement and its official completion. Cristiano Ronaldo and Abdulrahman Ghareeb could have very different reasons to attract attention at Al-Nassr as the club continues to navigate a complicated transfer window. Ghareeb has already reached an agreement to remain with the Saudi giants, but there is still one major hurdle standing between that agreement and its official completion. The 29-year-old winger has previously rejected interest from domestic rivals and made his preference to stay in Riyadh clear. Now, Al-Nassr must resolve a situation involving multiple moving pieces before it can finally secure Ghareeb’s future, adding another layer of intrigue to an already difficult summer for the club. Ghareeb’s previous contract expired at the end of last season, but Al-Nassr had already reached an agreement with the 29-year-old over a new three-year deal. The extension was reportedly worth around $8 million, or approximately $2.6 million per season, yet the club was unable to immediately register the new contract because of its financial situation. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Saudi Pro League’s financial control committee rejected Al-Nassr’s request to register Ghareeb’s contract. A subsequent request was also rejected, even after the club received approval to sign Portuguese midfielder Samu Costa from Mallorca. Samu Costa and Mohamed Simakan of team Al Nassr That has left the Saudi international in an unusual position. He has agreed to stay, but without registration before the summer transfer window closes, he could technically leave Al-Nassr as a free agent. Two transfers hold the key The situation has now taken another turn, with reports indicating that Ghareeb’s renewal has been approved but remains conditional on two linked transfers. According to Nawaf STATS on X (formerly Twitter), the first requirement is for Al Ahli to complete the signing of Saeed Baatiah. The second is for Al Fateh to complete the signing of Ali Al Hassan as part of the wider agreement. Only when both moves are completed will Ghareeb’s renewal be fully finalized. The chain of transfers is essentially designed to create the financial room Al-Nassr needs to complete the registration. The arrangement underlines how complicated the club’s financial situation has become. Al-Nassr is relying on one transfer to help facilitate another, with Ghareeb’s future ultimately tied to the completion of deals involving Baatiah and Al Hassan. Abdulrahman Ghareeb of Al Nassr celebrates after scoring Baatiah move could unlock the situation The first part of the chain has reportedly progressed, with Baatiah’s move to Al Ahli described as completed in recent updates. Asharq Al-Awsat reported on the development, potentially bringing Al-Nassr one step closer to resolving Ghareeb’s situation. The next piece is Al Hassan’s transfer to Al Fateh. Once that move is completed, the conditions surrounding Ghareeb’s renewal should finally be satisfied, allowing Al-Nassr to officially register the winger. For the club, getting the deal over the line would be significant. The 29-year-old winger remains a valuable member of the squad and has already demonstrated his importance during major continental competition. Ghareeb joined Al-Nassr from Al Ahli in 2022 and has remained a regular contributor since arriving in Riyadh. His situation became particularly notable last winter when both Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad showed interest, but the winger ultimately chose to remain with Al-Nassr. He was also one of the club’s standout performers during the previous AFC Champions League Two campaign. Ghareeb helped the club reach the final, although Al-Nassr ultimately suffered a narrow defeat to Japan’s Gamba Osaka.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated Al Nassr's win over Al Taawoun with a brief message on social media, as the club kept its perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season alive. Cristiano Ronaldo took to social media to celebrate Al Nassr’s 2-1 win over Al Taawoun, a result that kept the club perfect through four matchdays of the Saudi Pro League season. Posting on Instagram, the forward summed up the victory with a brief five-word message: “Three points. We keep going!” Ronaldo’s post capped a night that also saw him break new ground individually, with his 50th-minute goal moving him past Mohammed Al-Sahlawi as the Saudi Pro League’s all-time leading scorer at 104 goals in the competition. Al Nassr had to work for the win, falling behind early through Bassam Mohammed Alhurayji before Samu Costa leveled deep into first-half stoppage time and Ronaldo’s strike sealed the comeback shortly after the break. The result leaves Al Nassr alone at the top of the table as they continue their pursuit of back-to-back Saudi Pro League titles under Ange Postecoglou. With Ronaldo now focused on both defending his club’s crown and closing in on 1,000 career goals, his short, confident message reflected a squad intent on maintaining its early-season momentum. Ver esta publicación en Instagram Una publicación compartida por Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) What’s next for Al Nassr Al Nassr’s focus now turns to a stretch of high-stakes fixtures in September, starting with a trip to face Al Ittihad on September 5 in one of the league’s marquee clashes. That’s followed by a home match against Abha on September 9 and a trip to Al Khaleej on September 10. After that stretch, Al Nassr open their AFC Champions League Elite campaign away at Al-Ain on September 15. The club then returns to league action at home against Al Diriyah on September 17, rounding out a demanding month as Postecoglou’s side looks to keep pace on multiple fronts.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 978th goal of his career to put Al Nassr back in front against Al Taawoun, moving him just 22 goals away from the 1,000 milestone. Cristiano Ronaldo put Al Nassr back in front against Al Taawoun in the 50th minute on Friday, netting the 978th goal of his career to make it 2-1 at Al-Awwal Park. The goal leaves the 41-year-old just 22 short of becoming the first player in history to reach 1,000 career goals. Al Taawoun had opened the scoring through Bassam Mohammed Alhurayji in the 11th minute, catching the league leaders off guard early on and landing a major blow at Al-Awwal Park. However, Al Nassr responded right before the break, with Samu Costa leveling the score in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time. Ronaldo then struck five minutes into the second half to complete the turnaround and hand Al Nassr the lead. The result, if it holds, would extend Al Nassr’s perfect start to the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season to four wins from four matches, keeping Ange Postecoglou’s side alone at the top of the table. This is what Cristiano Ronaldo does, pure instinct, clinical finishing. pic.twitter.com/AvkpByVcaK— Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) August 28, 2026 Where Ronaldo stands in the Golden Boot race Today’s strike brings Ronaldo to two league goals through three appearances this season, still trailing the early pace-setters in the Saudi Pro League scoring charts. Steven Bergwijn (Al Ittihad), Ivan Toney (Al Ahli), Moussa Dembele (Al Ettifaq) and Teddy Okou (Al Riyadh) have each reached three goals in fewer or equal matches. Ronaldo’s goal today also sees him draw level with Sadio Mane and Joao Felix as Al Nassr’s top scorers this season, with all three now on two goals apiece.
Al Nassr are facing Al Taawoun for Matchdday 4 of the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season, with Cristiano Ronaldo's presence in the game as the main topic among fans. Al Nassr host Al Taawoun on Friday, August 28, for Matchday 4 of the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season at Alawwal Park. With the home side sitting alone atop the table, questions surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo‘s availability have begun to arise. Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to feature in the starting XI against Al Taawoun. Head coach Ange Postecoglou confirmed during his pre-match press conference that the Portuguese star is fully fit, clearing him to make his third appearance of the 2026-27 campaign. The 41-year-old forward made his season debut against Al Riyadh with a 28-minute substitute appearance before making a surprising halftime exit last match against Al Ettifaq. However, Postecoglou emphasized that Ronaldo is primed for an increased workload: “I know he feels physically in good condition now, so he is ready for tomorrow’s game,” the New Zealand boss stated Thursday. Al Nassr currently lead the league standings as the sole team to collect a maximum nine points through three matches. While rivals Al Hilal and Al Ahli each hold a game in hand, a plus-8 goal differential gives Ronaldo’s side early control at the top. 9 PM. Our home. Our people. See you there 💛https://t.co/qS1YmPuoJA pic.twitter.com/AZ6tVnyYPQ— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 27, 2026 Cristiano Ronaldo on the verge of club history Across his tenure with Al Nassr, Ronaldo has faced Al Taawoun eight times in all competitions, recording five wins, one draw, and two defeats while tallying three goals and three assists. Facing an opponent still searching for its first win of the campaign, Ronaldo will aim to write another chapter in the record books. With his goal against Al Riyadh, Ronaldo tied Mohammed Al Sahlawi’s club record for the most Saudi Pro League goals in Al Nassr history with 103. A goal on Matchday 4 would move the Portuguese icon into sole possession of first place, adding another milestone to his career portfolio. Projected lineups for Al Nassr and Al Taawoun Al Nassr’s projected lineup (4-4-1-1): Nawaf Al-Aqidi; Nawaf Boushal, Inigo Martinez, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Salem Alnajdi; Kingsley Coman, Samu Costa, Angelo, Sadio Mane; Joao Felix; Cristiano Ronaldo.Head coach: Ange Postecoglou. Al Taawoun’s projected lineup (4-3-3): Mailson; Bassam Al-Hurayji, Awn Al-Saluli, Muteb Al-Mufarrij, Marin Petkov; Oscar Dorley, Ashraf El Mahdioui, Nedim Bajrami; Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi, Abderazak Hamdallah, Bassem Al-Arini.Head coach: Zarko Lazetic.
Cristiano Ronaldo could reunite with a Portugal national team teammate, as Nelson Semedo is reportedly closing in on a move to Al Nassr. Cristiano Ronaldo could be about to welcome a familiar face from the Portugal national team to Riyadh, with Nelson Semedo reportedly closing in on a move to Al Nassr from Fenerbahçe, according to The Nassr Tribune. Per the outlet, Semedo and Al Nassr would have already agreed on personal terms for the move. Fenerbahçe, meanwhile, would have requested permission for the Portuguese right-back to feature in one more match before the transfer is finalized. “If nothing goes wrong after that match, Semedo will be an Al Nassr player,” the source reported. That match in question is Fenerbahçe’s Champions League playoff return leg against Lyon, scheduled for August 26 in France. The two sides drew 1-1 in the first leg in Istanbul on August 18. Semedo’s potential exit would also come amid Fenerbahçe’s need to manage their foreign player quota for the new season, a situation that has been reported by Turkish outlets in recent weeks. Nelson Semedo #2, Cristiano Ronaldo #7 and Samu Costa #24 of Portugal. (Getty Images) If the move were to go through, it would reunite Semedo with Ronaldo under the same club roof for the first time, adding another familiar face to Al Nassr’s dressing room, where Samu Costa also joined during this transfer window. Other Saudi clubs also linked to Semedo Al Nassr wouldn’t have been the only Saudi Pro League side keeping tabs on Semedo. Al Ahli were reported to be preparing a direct offer worth between €6 and 7 million to trigger his departure from Fenerbahçe, according to journalist Ekrem Konur. Separately, Turkish outlets reported interest from Al Shabab, who were also mentioned as a possible destination amid Fenerbahçe’s need to free up space in their foreign player quota. None of those reported approaches, however, would have advanced as far as the personal terms Semedo is now said to have reached with Al Nassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo could make his season debut for Al Nassr in the match against Al Riyadh for the Saudi Pro League. Whether Cristiano Ronaldo actually takes the field on Friday for his Al Nassr’s season debut remains uncertain, but he’s at least back in the conversation. The 41-year-old has yet to make an appearance this season after missing his team opening two matches following his preseason absence. He returned to individual training earlier this week, and while there’s no guarantee he starts, Ronaldo has been included in Ange Postecoglou’s 21-man squad list for the trip to face Al Riyadh, opening the door for him to feature in some capacity even if it’s not from the opening whistle. Ahead of the match, Al Riyadh coach Mauricio Dulac had nothing but praise for the possibility of facing him. “When we talk about Ronaldo, we are talking about a legend, someone who has made history in football and in the world of football. If Cristiano plays against us, it will be a pleasure for everyone,” Dulac said during a press conference. Al Nassr head into the match on a two-match winning run, having opened the Saudi Pro League with a 3-0 win over Al Fateh and cruising 4-1 past Al Diriyah in the King’s Cup. For Al Riyadh, who dropped their season opener 4-2 to Al Ettifaq, the match carries extra weight as they’ll need to win to get their campaign back on track. That’s a wrap on preparations 🎬💛Matchday next ⏭️ pic.twitter.com/2Vidi3Bu7s— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 20, 2026 Dulac struck an optimistic tone about the challenge ahead. “They are a very good team with an extremely strong squad and many stars. But I think that is also very good for us, because when we play against good players and very strong teams, we raise our own level as well,” the Brazilian coach added. Postecoglou won’t have his full squad available While Ronaldo’s potential return would give Postecoglou a major boost, it comes as Al Nassr also deals with six absences for the Al Riyadh match. The missing players are Saad Al Nasser, Samu Costa, Mohamed Simakan, Mohamed Maran, Raghed Al Najjar, and Abdulrahman Ghareeb. Per Arriyadiyah, the absences of Costa and Simakan in particular are tied to squad management rather than injury, with Postecoglou opting to rest the Portugal midfielder and France defender due to fatigue after a congested start to the season.
Samu Costa scored on his Al Nassr debut in the win over Al Fateh and dedicated the victory to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was absent from the match. Samu Costa marked his Al Nassr debut in style, scoring in a 3-0 win over Al Fateh in the club’s Saudi Pro League opener on August 15 — his first appearance since joining Cristiano Ronaldo‘s side. The Portuguese midfielder found the net alongside goals from Joao Felix and Angelo as Al Nassr began the new season with a statement victory. Speaking after the match, Costa reflected on the win and made a point of including Ronaldo in his praise, despite the Portuguese superstar not featuring in the squad. “A good start. We worked hard and deserved the three points. I dedicate the victory to my family, my teammates, and Cristiano Ronaldo,” Costa said. Ronaldo’s absence from the matchday squad was a deliberate call by new head coach Ange Postecoglou, who only recently took charge at Al Nassr. Ronaldo had rejoined training just two days before the match, having spent recent weeks away from the squad following his marriage to Georgina Rodriguez. With Ronaldo sidelined for the opener, it was Angelo, Costa and Felix who stepped up to deliver the win, giving Postecoglou an encouraging start to his tenure in Riyadh. All eyes will now turn to when Ronaldo is expected to make his own season debut for the club. First game. First win. First celebration 🤩💛Samú Costa gets the full Nassr welcome pic.twitter.com/pZE3T9oj9K— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 15, 2026 Ronaldo eyeing return for matchday 2 It was to be expected that Cristiano Ronaldo wouldn’t feature at the start of Al Nassr‘s 2026-27 Saudi Pro League campaign, having missed every training session with the squad and sat out the entire preseason. According to reports out of Saudi Arabia, the captain is also expected to miss Al Nassr’s King Champions Cup opener against Diriyah Club on August 18, with his return now targeted for matchday 2 of the Saudi Pro League against Al Riyadh on August 21.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.