Danny da Costa

Danny Da Costa has always been the life and soul of the dressing room, but that should in no way distract from his first-class professionalism. The full-back joined Eintracht Frankfurt in July 2017 after a disappointing personal season with Bayer 04 Leverkusen, yet was determined to live up to his youthful promise. That he has done so at the Commerzbank Arena is a credit to his character; capable of featuring on either flank, Da Costa has developed into a key player for the Eagles. 

Born in Neuss to Angolan parents, Da Costa represented Germany at every age category from U17 to U21. Brought through the ranks at Leverkusen, where he made his Bundesliga debut as a teenager, in 2012 Da Costa joined FC Ingolstadt 04, where he suffered a broken leg in October 2014. So serious was the injury that some doctors advised him to end his career there and then. "When a doctor tells you that you'd be better off looking for another job, it's a bit of a shock," he said. Continuing to put in the hard yards off the field and rely on the support of his family, Da Costa worked his way back to full fitness. "I was working on my rehab for eight hours a day," he remembers. "At the start it felt like there was no progress and it's tough to remain in good spirits." 

Da Costa has come a long way since – and is back to his high-spirited self. The defender put pen to paper on a four-year deal with the Eagles in May 2017 and went on to establish himself in the first team in 2017/18, scoring his first Bundesliga goal in a 1-0 home win against Hannover 96 in March 2018, before playing a key role in the 3-1 DFB Cup final win against Bayern Munich two months later. "People turn around when you're walking through town and ask for a photo," he said recently when asked about his newfound status. "Being the star isn't for me, though – I don't need it."