Kiko Costa via Andebol “in the also”. Now it’s the best young woman in the World – scored 54 goals

“Heroes of the Sea” finished their participation in the world championship with a bittersweet flavor – it was the best installment ever, but the hope of the bronze ended in the last seconds. It was revealing one of the biggest promises of world handball: Francisco Costa, 19, 54 goals.

“With 54 goals and 22 assists at the World Cup, Francisco Costa is the best young player,” IHF, a planetary regulator on social networks.

The prize (delivered to players under 21) serves as a consolation of the corner selection, which ended its exhibition at the 2025 Handball World Cup in Oslo, without getting the expected 3rd place, after losing by a Renhido 35-34 which only secured the bronze to France in the last seconds, when the Gaul Guard defended a shot from António Areia.

“It’s hard… but once again we wanted to win and it seems strange to be sad with a fourth place in a world championship. It’s life. I have a tremendous pride in these athletes, ”he said with the coach, Paulo Jorge Pereira.

Consolation also arrived through the attribution of the “Game Man” prize to the Portuguese goalkeeper Gustavo Capdevillewhich defended 31% of the French offensive, an impressive 11/35.

O fourth place It is still the best Portuguese performance ever in this championship and in any final phase of major international competitions, including six participations in championships around the world, since 1997. Four years ago, in the best show so far, they had only reached 10th place , recalls Lusa.

It’s not ‘remember the name’, you already KNOW the name. With 54 goals and 22 assists at the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship, 🇵🇹 Portugal’s Francisco Costa is the ‘Best Young Player Presented by LIDL’ ⭐

— International Handball Federation (@ihfhandball)

In addition to the 19 -year -old, Portuguese Diogo Rêma, as well as Ian Barrufet, Petar Cikusa and Djordje Cikusa (Spain), Gino Steenaerts (Switzerland) and Daniel Bláha (Czech Republic) was also appointed.

Francisco Costa, jersey 26, played in all nine games, scored 54 goals (so many as the “star” of the French team, Dika Mem) and 22 assists.

Kiko premiered internationally 2 years ago at the 2023 IHF World Championship. At that time, he was still 17, but was the best scorer of the M20 EHF Euro 2022, which, according to the IHF website, “evidenced the its enormous potential. ”

In Kiko, only 19, and his brother Martim Costa, 22, The bets of the Portuguese reached to conduct the Portuguese team to the best possible result.

Son of two handball players, Kiko has gathered all the conditions from a young age to become the young promise of the corners.

“In the bastard they were going to see the games. I remember the Kiko perfectly linked at the pavilion in Algeciras, while the three-year-old Martim was running with his father’s colleagues’ sons, ”his mother said in an interview with.

The father, Ricardo Costa, Sporting coach, where the two brothers play, left a message to his two children this week.

“Make the most of it, record these moments so beautiful in your minds, even if the pressure does not leave you. Counteract this and have fun. Listen to the best music on the way to the pavilion, smile during warming and when the whistle are given the sleeves and go with everything. You are the biggest ever and make the mountain even bigger For those who come behind, ”he wrote.

And it worked: in the game against France, regardless of the result, Kiko Costa had 73% offensive efficacy – Eight goals in 11 shots. The name of the brother already haunts players with several years of handball. For the next international championships, the name Costa promises to continue to make history.

For now, we have a FINAL DINAMARCA-CROCIA To be played this Sunday in Norway, at 7:30 pm, Lisbon time.