Samuel Costa: “The passion for the sport is still the same”

After announcing his retirement at the end of the 2024 season, Italian Nordic Combined athlete Samuel Costa surprised many by returning to competition for 2026.

The 32-year-old, who made his World Cup debut in Val di Fiemme back in 2012 and celebrated his first individual podium in Seefeld in 2017, is now setting his sights on the upcoming Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in his home country.
With a renewed mindset and years of experience behind him, Costa is ready to give it one more go. In this interview, he talks about what inspired his comeback, how the sport has evolved, and why stepping away from social media has been a relief.

You ended your career after the 2024 season but decided to make a comeback now – what inspired you to return and give it another go?

Costa: I returned for two reasons: The first one was that the right people in my life were able to motivate me and convince me that I can be successful in sports if I have the right mindset.
The second is that thanks to the USA, I finally realized the immense value that the Olympic Games hold, which is something that I was previously never able to fully grasp.

After your last World Cup podium in 2017, you returned to winning ways this summer with the Team Sprint victory in Chaux-Neuve. Did that moment confirm that your comeback was the right decision?

Costa: For sure it was a really special day being able to finally win a competition at an international level and being able to share it with Raffaele. It was a good boost of confidence, so in part it confirmed that it was a good decision to come back.

You’ve already competed at two Olympic Games, in Sochi 2014 and Beijing 2022. How do you look back on those experiences, and how do they shape your motivation for Milano-Cortina 2026?

Costa: The Olympic Games were never really successful for me. It was a nice experience, but that’s pretty much it. My first Olympic Games was after a period of overtraining or wrong training, and I was not fully prepared for my second Olympic Games (training-wise) as I did not expect to compete due to issues with my vaccination status.

From your first World Cup start in 2012 to your comeback now, how do you feel the sport – and you as an athlete – have evolved over the years?

Costa: The level of Nordic Combined has totally changed. The sport is getting more professional, and you need to do a lot of things in the right way to be successful. The importance of the equipment is also becoming more crucial, and smaller nations have difficulty keeping up.

For me personally, there has been a big change. If I look back, I realize that I was a completely different person back then. The sport was my identity, and for that reason, it was difficult to have a joyful life and be at total peace, but the passion for the sport is still the same.

Many athletes use social media to share their journey, but you’ve chosen to step away from it. What made you decide to take that break, and how has it affected you?

Costa: It is a relief not having to promote myself on Instagram. It simply takes too much time and energy to create content and share your daily life. My time and energy are so limited that I prefer to use it elsewhere. Social media is a great outlet to share your thoughts and life though.

The Italian team has faced some challenging seasons lately. As one of the most experienced athletes, how do you see your role in helping the team move forward and rebuild momentum ahead of the Olympics?

Costa: This is a difficult question to answer as every athlete has their own areas where they need to improve, including myself. We have a great team, and everyone is working really hard to be the best they can. The staff is amazing and providing us with every tool we need to succeed this upcoming year. I am looking forward to see all that we have in store this winter.