João Paulo Santos Costa

Club career Born in Barcelos, Braga District, Costa joined Porto's youth system at the age of 10. On 3 October 2015, he made his debut as a senior with the reserves, in a 2–0 away win against Olhanense in the LigaPro. He added a further six appearances during the season, as they achieved the feat of being the first B team to win the championship.

On 11 September 2016, in the 94th minute of the league fixture against Penafiel, Costa scored to help the hosts to earn one point after the 2–2 draw. On 29 November, he remained on the bench for the first team during a 0–0 home draw with Belenenses in the group stage of the Taça da Liga.

Costa went on to serve two loans subsequently, his first being with Gil Vicente still in the second tier. Afterwards, he joined Spanish Segunda División B club Cartagena.

On 14 August 2019, Costa signed a permanent one-year deal with Mirandés, newly promoted to Segunda División. He played two extra-time away wins in the Copa del Rey, and his sole league appearance was a 4–0 loss at Racing de Santander on 17 September. Following the arrival of Raúl Lizoain, he left on 27 January 2020 and moved to Recreativo Granada on an 18-month deal.

Initially a part of the first team for the 2021 pre-season, Costa spent the 2021–22 campaign unregistered by both the main and reserve squads as he was already 25. In August 2022, he joined Real Murcia of Primera Federación.

Costa returned to Portugal on 16 August 2023, on a contract at second-tier club Feirense. In January 2025, he signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Estrela da Amadora. His Primeira Liga bow took place on 9 February, in the 1–0 defeat away to Casa Pia.

On 9 July 2025, Costa returned to Porto by agreeing to a contract until June 2030. The following 16 May, by playing 20 minutes of a 1–0 home victory over Santa Clara in place of Diogo Costa in the last matchday, he managed to not only make his competitive debut at age 30 but also become eligible for a league winners medal.

Career statistics

Honours Porto B Segunda Liga: 2015–16 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2026