Rui Costa

Benfica

At age five, Costa joined the infant indoor football team of Damaia Ginásio Clube. Costa tried his luck at Benfica. Within ten minutes of training, Portugal legend Eusébio, who was supervising the youngsters, was impressed with Costa's skills. Up until 1990, Costa played for Benfica's youth squads. In his first full season, he was loaned to Fafe on a season-long deal. In 1991, after the Under-21 World Cup, which Portugal won after a penalty kick scored by Costa, he returned to Benfica. In his first full season with Benfica, he was featured regularly in Benfica's team. In his next two seasons, his role in the team would prove to be pivotal as Benfica captured two trophies. He formed a formidable midfield partnership with João Vieira Pinto. During his last two seasons with Benfica in his first spell with the club, he won the Taça de Portugal in 1993 and the Portuguese First Division title in 1993–94. This would be Benfica's last league title for the next ten seasons.

Fiorentina

At the end of his third season in Benfica's senior squad, Fiorentina offered 1,200 million escudos (approximately €6 million) for the 21-year-old midfielder. His departure from Fiorentina was discussed every season, since many clubs constantly showed interest in signing him. However, he only left Fiorentina one season before their bankruptcy in the 2001–02 season. With the Florentine club, Costa won the Coppa Italia twice, also winning a Supercoppa Italiana. In June 2001,…

Youth and Euro 96

Costa was part of the Portugal national under-20 team under manager Carlos Queiroz, who won the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship on home soil. After a goalless draw with Brazil in the final at his club ground of the Estádio da Luz, he scored the winning penalty in the final. On 31 March 1993, Costa made his debut for the senior national team in a 1–1 draw away to Switzerland, in 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification. In his third game on 19 June in another qualifier at home to Malta, he scored his first goal in a 4–0 win. He was part of the squad at UEFA Euro 1996 in England, where they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by runners-up the Czech Republic.

Euro 2000

Costa was sent off for the only time in his entire career on 6 September 1997, in a 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifier away to Germany. While being substituted, he was shown a red card by referee Marc Batta for leaving the pitch too slowly, meaning that Portugal could not bring Sérgio Conceição on as a replacement. Minutes after the dismissal, the Germans equalised through Ulf Kirsten, meaning that they and not the Portuguese would go to the final tournament in France. Costa said on the 20th anniversary of the controversy that he would only forgive Batta if he apologised to the Portuguese nation. In UEFA Euro 2000 qualification, Costa scored six times in home and away victories over Liechtenstein (two each) and Hungary. At the finals in Belgium and the Netherlands, he assisted the…

Costa is considered by pundits to have been one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, as well as one of Portugal's best players ever, and was regarded as one of the best playmakers in the world in his prime. A classic number 10, he usually played in a creative role as an attacking midfielder behind the strikers, but was also capable of playing in midfield as a deep-lying playmaker, as a second striker, or as a winger. A quick, technically gifted and elegant player, throughout his career, he was renowned for his excellent dribbling skills, vision, and precise passing, which made him an effective assist provider, and enabled him to create space for his teammates, or orchestrate his teams' attacking moves. Although he was mainly known to be a creative team player, he also possessed an eye for goal from midfield, and was an accurate striker of the ball with either foot, in particular from outside the area. He was also an accurate free kick and penalty taker. Despite his technical abilities, he faced occasional criticism from pundits for inconsistent performances throughout his career.

Sporting director

The day after his last professional match, Costa was presented as director of football at Benfica. During the summer 2008 transfer window, Costa brought head coach Quique Sánchez Flores, playmaker Pablo Aimar, winger José Antonio Reyes, and striker David Suazo, the latter two on loan. The following Summer, Costa tried to strengthen the team after a disappointing league campaign the previous season; he signed striker Javier Saviola, attacking midfielder Ramires, and defensive midfielder Javi García, led by manager Jorge Jesus. Benfica would win the 2009–10 Primeira Liga, the first league title since 2004–05, and the Taça da Liga that season, defeating Porto in the final.

Administration

On 14 May 2008, Costa was appointed an administrator of Benfica SAD. For the 2020–24 quadrennial, he became a vice-president of the club's board of directors, as part of Luís Filipe Vieira's list for a sixth consecutive mandate. After acting as interim president of the club and its SAD from 9 July 2021, in the aftermath of Vieira suspending his presidency due to arrest in operation Cartão Vermelho (Red Card), Costa was elected the 34th president of Benfica on 9 October, assuming office the following day. With 84.48% of the votes, he defeated candidate Francisco Benitez, who received 12.24%. During election campaign, Costa had pledged, among other promises, a forensic audit of the club's SAD (released in June 2024), a revision of the club's statutes (the…