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Costinha

Costinha
Costinha (footballer born 1974).jpg
Costinha in 2012
Personal information
Full name Francisco José Rodrigues da Costa
Date of birth (1974-12-01) 1 December 1974 (age 42)
Place of birth Lisbon, Portugal
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 12 in)
Playing position Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team
Académica (coach)
Youth career
1990–1994 Oriental
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1995 Oriental 26 (3)
1995–1996 Machico 30 (5)
1996–1997 Nacional 27 (4)
1997–2001 Monaco 84 (3)
2001–2005 Porto 108 (13)
2005–2006 Dynamo Moscow 10 (0)
2006–2007 Atlético Madrid 24 (0)
2007–2010 Atalanta 1 (0)
Total 310 (28)
National team
1998–2006 Portugal 53 (2)
Teams managed
2013 Beira-Mar
2013 Paços Ferreira
2016– Académica
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Francisco José Rodrigues da Costa, OIH (born 1 December 1974), known as Costinha (Portuguese pronunciation: [kɔʃˈtiɲɐ]), is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, and the current manager of Académica de Coimbra.

Best known for his tackling and positioning, as well as his athleticism, stamina and workrate, he played professionally in five countries, reaching the first division of his own at nearly 27. He helped Porto win the 2004 Champions League, conquering a total of eight trophies with that club.

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

Costinha was born in Lisbon to an Angolan father, who had emigrated to the Portuguese capital in the 1960s. In the 1997 summer, after years of playing in the lower leagues, he caught the interest of French club AS Monaco FC while playing with C.D. Nacional in the second division. 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.


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Wikipedia

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