Jorge Costa: Bio, Salary, Net Worth, Lifestyle, Club and International Career

There are many coaches who are great managers. Then there are others who introduce a new philosophy: A philosophy that gives the game of football a new identity. Jorge Costa was one of those coaches. Leadership and determination are the two words that perfectly describe the journey of Costa, both as a manager and a player.

Known as one of the greats in Portugal for both his contributions as a player and a manager, Costa was used to making the headlines every other day. However, the ex-Mumbai City FC head coach recently made the headlines for the most tragic reason.

One of the most beloved coaches in the Indian Football community and a stalwart of Portuguese football, the former head coach of ISL outfit Mumbai City FC, tragically passed away at the age of 53 in August 2025 after suffering a cardiac arrest in the training centre of FC Porto, Olival.

A famous name in Porto, Jorge Costa was the captain of the team during Jose Mourinho's stint at FC Porto, which saw the club win the prestigious UEFA Champions League trophy. After being a legendary player in FC Porto, he made his name as a manager across Asia, Africa, and Europe.

One of his significant managerial milestones was laying the foundation of Mumbai City between 2018 and 2020, around a rapidly evolving landscape of football in the country.

Even though the Portuguese manager had seen his fair share of highs and lows, he remains a respected figure in football due to his coaching approach and philosophy, and will be remembered and respected for his contribution to football.

Jorge Costa's Playing Career

Born on October 14, 1971, in Porto, Jorge Costa joined the Porto Academy at a young age. It was the place to be for the legendary Portuguese player. His quick development saw him rise through the ranks smoothly, eventually making his senior debut in 1990.

Jorge Costa became an important player during the golden era of Portuguese giants FC Porto. He was the captain of the team and led them to multiple Primeira Liga titles and domestic cup victories. However, after the arrival of Jose Mourinho, the club and Jorge Costa saw their best days together as they won the UEFA Champions League after defeating AS Monaco in the final. For Porto, Costa made a total of 325 appearances across all competitions, scoring a total of 20 goals and making 5 assists.

After his playing days in Porto, Jorge Costa finally decided that it was time for a new challenge, and moved to Charlton Athletic, where he made a total of 26 appearances. Following his time at Charlton Athletic, Costa also played for Standard Liege and FC Penafiel before eventually hanging up his boots to step into a new chapter in his life.

Jorge Costa's Managerial Career

After retiring in 2006, a new chapter awaited Jorge Costa. In his last couple of years as a player, he pretty much had the plans to see himself in the managerial role someday. It happened sooner than later, as in December 2006, he was appointed as the assistant manager for SC Braga for three months before becoming the head manager in the 06/07 season. Following his tenure at SC Braga, he joined Olhanense in July 2008 and managed the club for two years, bagging a total of 70 appearances as manager.

After that, Costa was appointed the manager of Coimbra in 2010-11, where he had a total of 18 appearances. From 2011 to 2014, he had brief spells in CFR Cluj, AEL Limassol, Anorthosis, and Pacos Ferreira, before becoming the manager of Gabon. He had a total of 27 appearances as the manager of Gabon from 2014 to 2016. After that, he was appointed as the manager of CS Sfaxien and Arouca, where he had short spells.

Then, Costa made a move to Tours FC, where he managed 27 games before eventually moving to Mumbai City in 2018, where he had a total of 39 appearances.

After his tryst with Indian football, Jorge Costa had a few other managerial spells before returning to his club FC Porto as the general manager back in July 2024.

Jorge Costa's Tactics and Style of Play

It is safe to say that the managerial tactics of Jorge Costa were shaped during his years at Porto when master tactician Jose Mourinho was the coach. Moreover, his experience as a centre-back allowed him to improve his game-reading skills, which eventually played a crucial role during his managerial career.

• Similar to his playing career, Costa's managerial philosophy involved a lot of defensive organisation and solidity. His teams were known for maintaining structure and then scoring from counterattacks.
• Above all, tactical discipline was at the forefront when it came to the style of play among the teams that were managed by Jorge Costa.
• Having managed clubs and national teams across different continents, Costa developed a flexible approach to the game even though his playing style was defence-oriented. This versatility allowed his teams to go toe-to-toe with every elite team.

In terms of formation, Jorge Costa preferred the 4-2-31 system of play. Given his strong focus on defence while catching the opposition off-guard with his attacks, this formation gave him and the team much room and the best possible rotations.

Jorge Costa's Achievements and Trophies

While Jorge Costa won several team honours as a player, he also got individual recognition both as a player and as a manager. He won the Portuguese Golden Ball as a player in 2000 and the CNID Breakthrough Coach award in 2008. Costa also won the Liga Portugal 2 Manager of the Month award in October 2022, November and December 2023. Let us look at Jorge Costa's achievements and trophies below:

Jorge Costa's Family

Much of the personal life of Jorge Costa has been kept away from the limelight as the Portuguese manager leads a relatively private personal life. Born and raised in Portugal, Costa's playing and managerial career has taken him across the globe on an interesting journey. Throughout it all, his family has been the pillar of support for him.

Jorge Costa's Wife and Children

Jorge Costa was married to Rute Costa. They got married in 1994 in Portugal after they met during Jorge's stint as a player at FC Porto. From his playing days to his managerial journey, Rute has stood beside him since the very end, even after they got divorced back in 2013. Together, they have children who are known as David Costa Almedia and Salvador Almedia.

Jorge Costa's Net Worth and Salary

While the speculation of Jorge Costa's Net Worth or Jorge Costa's salary never seems to end, there are many notable sources who have cited that Jorge Costa's estimated net worth was around $2 to $5 million.

Given his legendary playing career and his managerial journey across various clubs, such a staggering number is expected from the late Portugal Legend.