Controversial president led FC Porto for 42 years, winning 69 major trophies in men’s senior football
Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, the legendary former president of FC Porto who led the club for an incredible 42 years straight, died on Saturday at the age of 87.
A principal figure in Portuguese football, Pinto da Costa led FC Porto from 1982 to 2024, during which he became the longest-serving and most decorated football club president ever, leading his club to 2,591 titles across 21 sports, including 69 major trophies in men’s senior football, seven of which were international titles – two Champions Leagues, two Europa Leagues, one European Super Cup, and two Intercontinental Cups.
His funeral procession begins this Monday morning with a mass at 11am at Igreja das Antas in Porto. Following the service, the procession will continue down to Alameda, stopping at FC Porto’s home stadium of Estádio do Dragão before proceeding to the Prado do Repouso cemetery in Bonfim, where his body will be cremated.
Since news of his death broke on Saturday night, FC Porto supporters have been paying tribute by leaving flowers, scarves and other memorabilia both at Estádio do Dragão and Igreja das Antas.
Figures from across the football world, including clubs like Real Madrid, as well as national leaders such as the President of Portugal and the Prime Minister, have expressed their condolences, highlighting his contributions to Portugal’s international image and his “unique” personality. Hundreds of other notable figures from FC Porto, Portuguese football, and civil society have also shared their tributes.
However, FC Porto’s main rivals – SL Benfica and Sporting CP – have remained silent about Pinto da Costa’s death, a consequence of the tense relations between the Porto-based club and its Lisbon rivals during his tenure as president. While Pinto da Costa undoubtedly transformed FC Porto into Portugal’s most successful football club from the 1980s onwards, his presidency was not without major controversies.
One of the most significant scandals linked to his name was Apito Dourado (Golden Whistle), a corruption investigation that rocked Portuguese football in the early 2000s. The investigation was launched in 2004 and centred on allegations of match-fixing, referee bribery, and influence peddling in Portuguese football. The inquiry primarily targeted FC Porto and Boavista, along with referees and football officials. As president of FC Porto, Pinto da Costa was accused of attempting to influence referees to favour his club. The case against him was largely based on wiretaps, in which he was allegedly recorded discussing referee assignments and favourable treatment for FC Porto. Audios of the wiretaps were even leaked to YouTube. One of the most notable accusations involved a referee being offered prostitutes as a form of bribery. However, Pinto da Costa was never convicted. In 2009, charges against him were dismissed due to insufficient evidence and procedural irregularities. He consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming the investigation was politically and rival-club motivated.
Pinto da Costa was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2021, yet he continued to lead FC Porto until 2024 when he lost the club’s presidential election for the first time to André Villas-Boas, a former football coach who led FC Porto an amazing season in 2010-11 with wins in the Portuguese League, Europa League and Portuguese Cup.
