Born in Porto on October 14, 1971, Costa wore the jersey of the "Dragons" for many years, recording 251 appearances and 16 goals. He was the captain and soul of the team, synonymous with fighting spirit and dedication.

His career was inextricably linked to Porto, where he played from 1990 to 2005, winning, among other things, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup under the guidance of José Mourinho. He was the team's captain for years and a fan favorite. With the Portuguese national team, Costa played 50 times, participating in two major competitions. He was a member of the "golden generation" that won the U-20 World Cup in 1991.

Costa, nicknamed "Bicho" ("The Beast") for his strong leadership and imposing presence, captained Mourinho's Porto team, which won the Champions League in 2004, including eight league titles and several domestic cups in a 15-year career at the club.



After the end of his career, he pursued a coaching career, with stints in Cyprus on the benches of AEL Limassol and Anorthosis.



He had also faced Greek teams in the Champions League on several occasions. His death comes a few days after the loss of Diogo Jota, which shocked not only Portuguese football, but the world in general.

Jose Mourinho devastated

Jose Mourinho was visibly emotional during a press conference ahead of the Champions League third qualifying round tie against Fenerbahce as he paid tribute to former Porto captain Jorge Costa, who tragically passed away at Porto's training ground.

Mourinho fought back tears as he reflected on Costa's influence: "He's part of my history that's leaving," Mourinho said in a broken voice. Jorge was one of those guys who would clean up the mess and let the manager do his job... That's perfection for a manager when his captain does that job."

"Of course I'm very sad, he's part of my history that's leaving. Let's forget about football, let's focus on him, on Jorge, on his children... And I'm here because, if he could talk to me now, he would tell me: "Come on, do your press conference... play the game, win the game and forget about me". That's what I'll try to do... and then I'll cry afterwards". 

Panathinaikos coach Rui Vitoria stressed: "It is with deep disappointment that I learn the news of Jorge Costa's death. He marked an entire generation with his achievements and his leadership spirit. May he rest in peace…”, said the 55-year-old coach of the greens. And he added:

Fernando Santos said: “It is a shock and a huge loss”. 

Adelino Vieiriha underlined: “Rest in peace my captain”

Jorge Costa, who was an important part of Portuguese football history, leaves behind an irreplaceable void.RIP