Danny da Costa plays for Eintracht Frankfurt. The player would be just another of the thousands of professional sportsmen if it were not for him being allergic to the grass which he plays and trains on every week.
It is not common to see a player having to face up to this kind of thing on a daily basis. The Eintracht Frankfurt full back does though and he has to play every match with a long sleeved shirt underneath to avoid making contact with the grass.
According to 'Bild', the player needs special protection to not touch the grass. And the thing is that if he touches it, Da Costa suffering a stinging sensation which prevents him from performing at his best.
In fact, last Thursday his team played against FC Flora Tallinn in the second qualifying round of the Europa League and he wore a long sleeved shirt even though it was 30 degrees.
"I always put on a long sleeved shirt under my kit. If I fall and touch the grass, I immediately get a rash. The stinging in my legs is tolerable, but in other parts of my body, less so," Da Costa himself explained to the German paper.
At the moment, Danny da Costa has spent his whole career in Germany, where the temperatures are colder than in other countries. That said, in pre-season it is more challenging because of the high temperatures.