Cristiano Ronaldo mourns the passing of Champions League winner who also played for Portugal

Portuguese soccer is in mourning after the passing of Jorge Costa, a Porto legend who helped the club capture the 2004 UEFA Champions League title under manager Jose Mourinho. In the wake of the news, Cristiano Ronaldo paid tribute to his fellow countryman on social media.

According to a statement from Porto’s official account, Costa — who was serving as the club’s director of professional soccer— suffered a cardiac arrest on Tuesday at the age of 53. The former defender is considered a club legend, having made 383 appearances and winning eight league titles in addition to lifting both the Champions League and Europa League trophies.

“Futebol Clube do Porto expresses its deepest sadness and dismay at the passing of an iconic figure in the history of the club,” Porto said in a statement. “Throughout his life, both on and off the pitch, Jorge Costa embodied the values that define FC Porto: dedication, leadership, passion, and an unshakeable spirit of conquest. He left his mark on generations of fans and became a symbol of Portismo … The legacy of Jorge Costa will always remain alive in the memory of all Porto fans”.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the current Portugal captain, also paid tribute to his compatriot, who earned 50 caps with the national team. Posting alongside a photo of Costa, Ronaldo added a dove emoji and wrote: “Até sempre Jorge Costa,” which translates to “Until forever”.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s post on his Instagram account.

Costa’s decorated career

Costa’s career is forever linked to his storied run with Porto, where he captained the team to the 2004 UEFA Champions League title under manager Jose Mourinho, defeating AS Monaco 3–0 in Germany. He also lifted the UEFA Cup (now Europa League) in 2003, claimed eight domestic league titles, and won an Intercontinental Cup during his time with the club.

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Beyond Porto, Costa had loan spells with Penafiel, Marítimo, and Charlton Athletic, before finishing his playing career at Standard Liege in Belgium. On the international stage, he earned 50 caps for Portugal and captured a U-20 World Cup title earlier in his career.

Following his retirement as a player, Costa transitioned into coaching, managing several clubs in Portugal and abroad. His lone trophy as a coach came when he guided SC Olhanense to the Portuguese second-division title.