Costinha

Early career

Costinha was born in Lisbon to an Angolan father, who had immigrated to the Portuguese capital in the 1960s. A childhood Sporting CP fan, he began his career in the third division with Clube Oriental de Lisboa, A.D. Machico and C.D. Nacional.

Monaco

In the summer of 1997, Costinha signed a five-year contract with La Liga's Valencia CF, but backed out when manager Jorge Valdano wanted to loan him to Villarreal CF; he then caught the interest of French club AS Monaco FC who acquired him through the influence of agent Jorge Mendes. After a tentative first season he became an important first-team member, helping with 28 matches and one goal to the 1999–2000 conquest of the Ligue 1 championship; he was part of a talented side which ousted Manchester United from the UEFA Champions League in 1998, on the away goals rule.

Porto

Costinha joined FC Porto on a five-year deal in May 2001, and made his Primeira Liga debut on 12 August aged nearly 27; he was sent off in a 1–0 loss away to Sporting. He went on to be an instrumental midfield element in the northerners' two consecutive national championships. On 9 March 2004, he scored against and effectively knocked out Manchester United in the Champions League round of 16; Porto went on to win the title, beating his former side Monaco 3–0 in the final.

Later career

Again a starter throughout most of the 2004–05 campaign, Costinha was sold to FC Dynamo Moscow in May 2005 for €4 million…

Club

International

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Costinha goal.

Director

On 23 February 2010, the 35-year-old Costinha left Atalanta by mutual consent. He immediately retired, being named shortly afterwards as Sporting's director of football, succeeding the sacked Ricardo Sá Pinto, his former international teammate. On 9 February 2011, the day after an interview to Sport TV in which he criticised the club's board of directors, he was dismissed. In June 2011, in the same capacity, Costinha joined Servette FC, with the Swiss team being managed by countryman João Alves. It was reported that the pair did not see eye to eye on certain issues, and in November 2011, Alves was relieved of his duties and replaced by João Carlos Pereira. The team's results worsened under Pereira and in April 2012, both Pereira and Costinha were fired, with Alves being reinstated as manager; Costinha reportedly contested the terms of his removal, claiming that his contract extended until June 2013.

Beira-Mar, Paços Ferreira and Académica

Costinha was hired as manager of S.C. Beira-Mar on 18 February 2013, replacing Ulisses Morais. His debut five days later was a 1–0 defeat at Vitória de Setúbal. He left the club on 22 May, after its top-flight relegation. On 12 June 2013, Costinha was appointed at fellow top-tier F.C. Paços de Ferreira, who had made the qualifying rounds of the Champions League for the first time in their history; his midfield partner for Portugal and three teams, Maniche, was hired as assistant. Costinha was sacked after only…

Costinha made his debut for Portugal on 14 October 1998, in a 3–0 home win over Slovakia for the UEFA Euro 2000 qualifiers; he entered as a 67th-minute substitute in place of Rui Costa. He was selected for the final stages, where he scored an injury time header against Romania (same score). He also played at Euro 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup tournaments. During the latter, on 25 June, he took part in the Battle of Nuremberg, being one of four players sent off in the 1–0 round-of-16 victory over the Netherlands after two bookable offences, the second being a handball. Costinha finished his international career with 53 caps and two goals, having been rarely called during the Euro 2008 qualifying stage.