Jorge Costa

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Jorge Paulo Costa Almeida (born 14 October 1971 in Porto) is a former Portuguese professional footballer. He also had a spell coaching with SC Braga.

Nicknamed Bicho (Animal) and Tanque (tank) by his colleagues and fans for his aggressive and physical playing style, he was the captain of Portuguese side FC Porto since longtime captain João Pinto.

[edit] Club Career

A promising player (he was a 1991 Youth World Cup champion) he debuted in the 90-91 season with Penafiel (on loan from Porto), playing 23 games and scoring two goals. The following season he was loaned to Madeira side Marítimo, playing 31 games including a controversial game in the Estádio das Antas where he scored an own goal. Despite being clearly unintentional, the accusations of "scoring for his team" continued, forcing Porto's president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa to forbid further loaned players to play against Porto, a decision that still stands. In the 92-93 season he finally joined FC Porto, slowly making his way. In the 97-98 season he inherited both the number 2 shirt (he played with the number 22 shirt before) and the captain's armband from captain João Pinto.His career only met three black spots: two serious knee injuries (during the 95-96 season, which ruled him out of Euro 96 and during the 97-98 pre-season in Sweden) and a feud with coach Octávio Machado early in the 01-02 season, which forced him into "exile" at Charlton Athletic. However, the image of Costa as the captain went untouched, and Porto fans turned against Octávio with massive criticism of his team management and coaching, eventually forcing him outside the club.With José Mourinho in charge, he returned next season to FC Porto, and was unanimously chosen as captain of a side that went on to win a Championship-Cup-UEFA Cup treble, making him the third Porto captain in a row to lift cups at international level (following João Pinto and Fernando Gomes). The winning streak for Costa continued as the next season he lifted the UEFA Champions League, following the legacy of João Pinto, and in December 2004 the Intercontinental Cup.In December 2005 it was announced he had signed for Standard Liège from Belgium in the January transfer window. He helped Standard Liège to a runner up spot in the Belgian competition but decided to retire (claiming "personal reasons") in June 2006, despite having a running contract until 2007.

[edit] International Career

At international level, he and Fernando Couto were considered the best defensive duo in UEFA's Euro 2000, retiring from international football after the 2002 FIFA World Cup, with fifty caps and two goals.

[edit] Honours

• Portuguese Liga 1993,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2003,2004
• Portuguese Cup 1994,1998,2000,2001,2003
• Portuguese SuperCup 1993,1994,1995,1997,1999,2000,2002,2004
• Uefa Champions League 2004
• Uefa Cup 2003
• Intercontinental Cup 2004
• 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship

v • d • e Portugal squad - UEFA Euro 2000 1 V. Baía • 2 J. Costa • 3 Rui Jorge • 4 Vidigal • 5 F. Couto • 6 P. Sousa • 7 Figo • 8 J. Pinto • 9 Sá Pinto • 10 Rui Costa • 11 S. Conceição • 12 P. Espinha • 13 Dimas • 14 Abel Xavier • 15 Costinha • 16 Beto • 17 P. Bento • 18 Pauleta • 19 Capucho • 20 Secretário • 21 Nuno Gomes • 22 Quim • Coach: H. Coelho

v • d • e Portugal squad - 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 V. Baía • 2 J. Costa • 3 A. Xavier • 4 Caneira • 5 F. Couto • 6 P. Sousa • 7 Figo • 8 J. Pinto • 9 Pauleta • 10 Rui Costa • 11 S. Conceição • 12 H. Viana • 13 J. Andrade • 14 P. Barbosa • 15 Nélson • 16 Ricardo • 17 P. Bento • 18 Frechaut • 19 Capucho • 20 Petit • 21 Nuno Gomes • 22 Beto • 23 Rui Jorge • Coach: A. Oliveira

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