Dutch journalist Helene Hendriks has accused former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa of deliberately coughing in her face at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The incident is said to have occurred in March 2020 after a Champions League match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid at Anfield, one of the last matches before the global lockdown.
Hendriks, who was reporting for Dutch television at the time, told the story on the HNM podcast about what happened after Atletico eliminated Liverpool from the competition.
"In the end, of all the people in that stadium, 41 people died from COVID-19. First I had Virgil van Dijk, then Diego Costa. Do you know what Diego Costa did? He came and deliberately coughed in everyone's face," the 45-year-old journalist initially said.
"I don't get angry easily, but I wanted to run after him and say: 'What are you doing to me?' He was actually coughing right in my face. I didn't know what was happening to me, I thought it was absolutely outrageous," Hendriks concluded, claiming that just two days after the incident, she was infected with COVID-19, from which she later successfully recovered.
A career full of controversy
Costa's nearly two-decade career has been filled with both success and controversy. He has played for Atletico, Chelsea, Wolves and other clubs, winning trophies in La Liga and the Premier League. However, his aggressive style of play has often crossed the line.
During his time in England, he was repeatedly accused by the English Football Association of violent conduct, including kicking and punching opponents. In December 2015, the French newspaper The Team called him 'the most hated footballer' because of his provocative behavior on the field.
Costa defends his honour
Despite his reputation, Costa has always claimed that people misunderstand him. During his time at Chelsea, legendary Thierry Henry came to his defense, saying that Costa was always cheerful off the pitch.
"Wherever I've played, the teammates who know me, the people I've met still love me because they know what kind of person I really am. It would hurt me a lot more if one of my teammates told the press or anyone else that I was a bad person. But I'm a happy person, I make mistakes, like everyone else," Costa once told Sky Sports.
Waiting for the footballer's reaction
Diego Costa, now 37, has yet to respond to these serious allegations. He last played for Gremio in late 2024 and, although he has not officially announced the end of his career, has been out of football for more than a year. /Telegraph/
