| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | António José Simões da Costa | ||
| Date of birth | December 14, 1943 | ||
| Place of birth | Corroios, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Left Winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1961–1975 | SL Benfica | 611 | (90) |
| 1975–1976 | Boston Minutemen | 27 | (5) |
| 1975-1976 | G.D. Estoril-Praia | ||
| 1976–1977 | San Jose Earthquakes | 33 | (0) |
| 1978 | New Jersey Americans | 4 | (0) |
| 1979 | Dallas Tornado | 6 | (1) |
| 1979–1980 | Detroit Lightning (Indoor) | 2 | (0) |
| 1980–1981 | Chicago Horizon (Indoor) | 20 | (7) |
| 1981–1982 | Kansas City Comets (Indoor) | 3 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 1962–1973 | Portugal | 46 | (3) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1982–1984 | Phoenix Inferno | ||
| 1984–1985 | Las Vegas Americans (Assistant) | ||
| 1987–1991 | Austin Sockadillos | ||
| 2011– | Iran (Assistant) | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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António José Simões da Costa (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐ̃ˈtɔniu siˈmõȷ̃ʃ]); born Corroios, 14 December 1943) is a Portuguese footballer and a current coach. He played as a left winger for Benfica, from 1961/62 to 1974/75. With only 1.58 m of height, he is seen as the first "Giant Gnome" of Portuguese football, before Rui Barros. He is the current assistant manager of the Iran national football team.
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He won the titles of National Champion for Benfica, in 1962/63, 1963/64, 1964/65, 1966/67, 1967/68, 1968/69, 1970/71, 1971/72, 1972/73 and 1974/75, and the Cup of Portugal, in 1962, 1964, 1969, 1970 and 1972. Simões was European Champion for S.L. Benfica, in 1962, at the 5–3 win over Real Madrid, aged only 18.
Simões missed the team that reached the Independence Brazil Cup final, in 1972, because of an injury, and had his last game, at 13 October 1973, in a 2–2 draw with Bulgaria, in the World Cup qualifyings. He left Benfica in 1975, moving to the U.S., where he signed with the Boston Minutemen of the North American Soccer League. He spent two seasons in Boston before moving to the San Jose Earthquakes in 1976. He also played for during the 1975-1976 season.[1] He finished the 1977 season in San Jose, then played for the Dallas Tornado in 1979.[1]
In 1979, he signed with the Detroit Lightning of the Major Indoor Soccer League. After one season, he moved to the Chicago Horizon before finishing his career with the Kansas City Comets.
Simões was called for the national team for the first time on May 6, 1962 in a 1–2 defeat with Brazil, in a friendly match in Sao Paulo. He was a member of the "Magriços" side that reached third place in the 1966 World Cup in England. He earned forty-six caps, scoring three goals. His last international match was on October 13, 1973 against Bulgaria.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 April 1964 | Hardturm, Zurich, Switzerland | Switzerland | 0–2 | 2–3 | Friendly |
| 2 | 19 July 1966 | Goodison Park, Liverpool, England | Brazil | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1966 World Cup Group Stage |
| 3 | 13 October 1973 | Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal | Bulgaria | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1974 World Cup qualification |
He has been, since then, a football manager and the female National Team coach. In 1982, he was hired as coach of the Phoenix Inferno of the MISL.[2] The Pride fired him March 1984 and replaced him with Ted Podleski. He was then hired as an assistant coach to Alan Mayer. When the Americans fired Mayer in January 1985, Simoes was also let go. In 1989, he was the SISL indoor season Coach of the Year with the Austin Sockadillos.[3] He coached the team until 1991. Simoes agreed to coach the Iranian National Football Team as an assistant coach to Carlos Queiroz in April 2011.
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