The 33-year-old winger, who signed for A-League side Sydney FC last month, has joined subscription platform OnlyFans. The platform generally contains explicit content and is strictly meant for an 18+ audience. Hence Costa's decision to join it raised eyebrows.

The player, however, explained why he decided to join the platform despite its reputation while revealing that his former Juventus colleague and Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo could also follow his path and set up an account on OnlyFans. Ronaldo recently started his own YouTube channel and smashed the world record timing of reaching 10m subscribers.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, the Brazilian said: "I saw that, over the years, some important people joined the platform. Athletes or people from other areas other than adult content joined the platform, and they are showing their day-to-day lives. I thought that was really an innovation from the platform. I saw a really good opportunity to show my content and what I do to the world. I can show something different on the platform.

"I intend to post a lot of things about sport, my lifestyle, what I do, my day-to-day. I especially want to motivate people to follow my content and the platform. Of course, people were a little bit shocked that I joined OnlyFans,' he added. 'It's a little overwhelming with people finding out. But I know the platform - in Brazil, we have this stigma that it's only for adult content. But there are more Brazilian content creators joining the platform in a different style - Charles Oliveira is on it, and I want to do some similar content. I want to bring this different content to the platform. That's what I'm intending to do. And of course, having people from different walks of life like sport will attract more people to join the platform."

When asked if Ronaldo would join the platform someday, Costa added: "Never say never. But I don't think it's something he would do. He has joined YouTube, and I think that was big for him. You never know. I have had other people, some colleagues and friends that have already told me that they will join. They have this stigma of it being an adult content only site. But I have family and friends on there, everybody that I normally post to on my social media.

"It's something where some people will think, 'Oh, it's not for me'. But seeing somebody like me join the platform, they probably would join, because it's not adult content that I'm intending to do."

The former Selecao star is expected to make his debut for Sydney FC on September 19 as they take on Eastern Sports Club in their AFC Champions League Two opener.