The games on the streets of Lagarto were epic and, occasionally, brutal – stretching for hours and long into the sun-baked afternoons, involving all ages. Men and boys. Costa loved it. “I became used to playing with guys who were older than me so it was not only about playing football but also about being street-smart as well,” he says, offering another insight into his style. “You had to not only be able to do all the tricks but to be able to shield the ball, use your body. You had to know how to be able to play on the streets because they were different. We had our own rules over there and that’s the way it was in order to survive. But what mattered was scoring goals and winning.