Costinha

Who is Costinha?

Francisco José Rodrigues da Costa, OIH, commonly known as Costinha, is a Portuguese retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, and a current coach.

Best known for his tackling and positioning, he played professionally in five different countries – having arrived in the first division of his own at nearly 27 – and was also a Portuguese international. In 2004 he helped Porto win the Champions League, winning a total of eight trophies with that club.

Costinha gained more than 50 caps with Portugal, appearing with the national team in one World Cup and two European Championships, being part of the squad that reached the final in Euro 2004.