Former Porto captain Jorge Costa dies at 53 of cardiac arrest
Published: 06 August 2025, 2:29:39
Jorge Costa, the former Porto and Portugal central defender who captained Porto to Champions League glory in 2004, died Tuesday of cardiac arrest at the age of 53, the club confirmed.
Costa, who was serving as Porto’s director of football, reportedly collapsed at the club’s training center and was transported to São João Hospital, according to Portuguese media.
Widely regarded as a symbol of leadership and resilience, Costa made 50 appearances for Portugal’s national team and spent the majority of his career at Porto. The club described him as embodying its core values of “dedication, leadership, passion, and an unwavering spirit of conquest.”
Costa’s most memorable moment came under then-manager José Mourinho, when he captained a youthful Porto side to a surprise Champions League triumph in 2004. That followed their UEFA Cup win in 2003. Over his career, he helped Porto to eight Portuguese league titles.
Mourinho paid tribute in a heartfelt message, writing, “Your legacy will stay with us,” and imagining Costa urging him: “Mister, stop crying, tomorrow you have a match and your boys need you ready and strong.”
Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro also expressed his condolences, praising Costa for his “dedication and commitment” to both FC Porto and the national team.
Costa had a brief stint on loan at English Premier League side Charlton Athletic during the 2001–02 season. Steve Brown, chair of Charlton’s ex-players’ association, remembered him as “a man mountain of a player and a great guy,” adding, “He was loved at Charlton.”
Costa’s sudden death marks a significant loss for Portuguese football and for the generations of players and fans who admired his leadership on and off the field.
