Leopoldo Costa

Leopoldo Costa Payá, better known as Rino Costa (7 May 1901 – 20 November 1979), was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward for Valencia CF, and later a manager, taking charge over Valencia.

He was one of the first footballers to play his entire career for Valencia CF, and thus be part of the so-called one-club men group. "Rino" is an abbreviated form of his childhood nickname, "Risetes". In the following edition they faced Andalusia in the quarter-finals again, and again they lost, this time 2–3.

Playing style In an era of change in professional football, Costa earned a reputation as an adaptable and innovative player. In doing so, he became the first Valencia player to became the club's coach, something that has happened a further 17 times since. He made his debut in a preseason match in Burjassot, which ended in a 3–2 win. Despite a promising start (second place at the midway point) and being advised by Eduardo Cubells, a man of great experience, the season turned out to be somewhat gray, so he left on 11 April 1943 without completing a year in the position to return to work with the amateur team again.

Such was his enthusiasm for the lower categories, that it was his idea to propose a subsidiary team located on Cuenca Street, which would be created under the presidency of Luis Casanova Giner and baptized as Club Deportivo Mestalla, now known as VCF Mestalla. He remained linked to the Mestalla club until his retirement, except for one season, 1950–51, as coach of Castellón.

Gennaro Gattuso, also known as Rino Gattuso, became the coach of Valencia in 2022, thus becoming the second "Rino" to do so.

Death Rino died on 20 November 1979, at the age of 78.

Honours Valencia CF Valencia Championship: Winners (6): 1923, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1931, 1932

Segunda División: Winners (1): 1930–31