Alex (footballer, born 1979)

Last updated

Alex
Personal information
Full name Domingos Alexandre Martins da Costa [1]
Date of birth (1979-09-06) 6 September 1979 (age 45) [1]
Place of birth Guimarães, Portugal [1]
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) [1]
Position(s) Wing-back
Youth career
1990–1994 Vitória Guimarães
1994–1995 Ribeira Pena
1995–1998 Vitória Guimarães
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1998–2001 Fafe 76 (16)
2001–2003 Moreirense 57 (8)
2003–2005 Benfica 14 (0)
2004–2005 → Vitória Guimarães (loan) 31 (4)
2005–2009 VfL Wolfsburg 21 (0)
2009–2013 Vitória Guimarães 95 (0)
2013 Vitória Guimarães B 1 (0)
Total295(28)
International career
2005 Portugal 3 (0)
Managerial career
2013–2014 Felgueiras 1932
2014 Académico Viseu
2016–2018 Vitória Guimarães (youth)
2018–2019 Vitória Guimarães B
2020–2021 Zamalek (assistant)
2022–2024 Covilhã
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Domingos Alexandre Martins da Costa (born 6 September 1979), commonly known as Alex, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played mainly as a right-back, currently a manager.

Contents

Over seven seasons (15 years in total as a professional), he amassed Primeira Liga totals of 170 matches and seven goals, mainly at the service of Vitória de Guimarães as well as Moreirense and Benfica. He also spent four years in the German Bundesliga with VfL Wolfsburg.

Alex began managing in 2013, leading three teams in his country's second tier.

Playing career

Club

Alex was born in Guimarães. After starting his career at AD Fafe he joined Moreirense FC, where he won promotion to the Primeira Liga as champion in 2001–02 and then contributed three goals as they came 12th in his and their first top-flight campaign; this included two on 19 January in a 2–1 away win against S.C. Beira-Mar. [2] He then joined Benfica, where he and fellow defender Luisão were the only signings made by manager José Antonio Camacho ahead of the new season. [3] He mainly deputised for established Miguel.

For 2004–05, Alex was loaned to Vitória de Guimarães. [4] He scored four top-flight goals that season as his hometown club came fifth and qualified for the UEFA Cup, starting on 15 November with the equaliser in a 1–1 draw at Rio Ave FC; on 18 March, his brace earned a 2–1 away victory over C.S. Marítimo. [5]

Benfica sold Alex to VfL Wolfsburg on the final days of the summer 2005 transfer window. [6] He had a relatively successful debut campaign, but only appeared four times in the Bundesliga over the next three (none in the last two). [7]

In late May 2009, Alex signed with former club Vitória de Guimarães on a free transfer. [8] During that first season he operated mostly as a right-back, going on to be fully reconverted to the position the following years and being first-choice. [9]

International

Alex earned three caps for Portugal under Luiz Felipe Scolari in 2005. His debut was on 4 June at home to Slovakia in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, starting the 2–0 win at the Estádio da Luz, followed four days later by a 1–0 away victory against Estonia. [10] [11] [12]

Coaching career

On 3 July 2013, Alex announced his retirement from professional football at the age of nearly 34, immediately starting his managerial career with F.C. Felgueiras 1932 in the third division. [13] He first arrived at the professionals in May 2014 after leading his team to safety, being appointed at Segunda Liga side Académico de Viseu FC. [14]

Alex won his first game at Académico, 4–1 at home to Portimonense S.C. in the first round of the Taça da Liga on 27 July 2014; [15] they then lost 5–4 on aggregate against C.F. Os Belenenses after winning the first leg 3–1. [16] He left by mutual consent on 12 November, being one point above the relegation zone after 16 matches. [17]

After three years in charge of the under-19 team, Alex succeeded Vítor Campelos at Vitória de Guimarães B in June 2018. [18] The side suffered relegation to the third tier at the end of the campaign, and he was dismissed on 9 December 2019 while in sixth place. [19]

Following a spell as assistant to compatriot Jaime Pacheco at Zamalek SC of the Egyptian Premier League, Alex ran for Vitória's presidency in March 2022, losing to António Miguel Cardoso; [20] [7] he then replaced Leonel Pontes as manager of S.C. Covilhã on 6 October. [21] The club was relegated in last place, ending a 15-year spell in division two. [22]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition [23] [24]
ClubSeasonLeagueCupLeague CupContinentalOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Fafe 1998–99 17010———180
1999–00 27871———349
2000–01 31800———318
Total751681———8317
Moreirense 2001–02 27520———295
2002–03 30320———323
Total57840———618
Benfica 2003–04 14030—20—190
2005–06 00———0000
Total14030—2000190
Vitória Guimarães (loan) 2004–05 31430———344
VfL Wolfsburg 2005–06 17000———170
2006–07 4010———50
2007–08 0000———00
2008–09 0000—00—00
Total21010—00—220
VfL Wolfsburg II 2007–08 10————10
Vitória Guimarães 2009–10 2203030——280
2010–11 2806010——350
2011–12 28020204010370
2012–13 1705010——230
Total9501607040101230
Vitória Guimarães B 2012–13 10————10
Career total2952835170601034429

    International

    Appearances and goals by national team and year [25]
    National teamYearAppsGoals
    Portugal 200530
    Total30

    Honours

    Moreirense

    Benfica

    Vitória Guimarães

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Vitória</span> Canadian soccer player

    Steven de Sousa Vitória is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a centre-back for the Canada national team.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Rui Miguel (footballer, born 1983)</span> Portuguese footballer

    Rui Miguel Melo Rodrigues, known as Rui Miguel, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

    Luís Augusto Martins Rocha is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays mainly as a left-back for Super League Greece 2 club A.E. Kifisia.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">João Teixeira (footballer, born 1994)</span> Portuguese footballer

    João Rafael de Brito Teixeira is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Qatar Stars League club Al-Markhiya.

    The 2004–05 Taça de Portugal was the 65th edition of the Portuguese football knockout tournament, organized by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). The 2004–05 Taça de Portugal began on 5 September 2004. The final was played on 29 May 2005 at the Estádio Nacional.

    The 1947–48 Taça de Portugal was the ninth season of the Taça de Portugal, the premier Portuguese football knockout competition, organized by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). The competition wansn't played in the previous season due to overscheduling with the creation of the Terceira Divisão. Sporting Clube de Portugal was defeated C.F. Os Belenenses in the final on 4 July 1948.

    The 1999–2000 Taça de Portugal was the 60th edition of the Portuguese football knockout tournament, organized by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). The 1999–2000 Taça de Portugal began in September 1999. The final was played on 21 May and replayed four days later as the inaugural match ended tied at the Estádio Nacional.

    The 2014–15 Taça da Liga was the eighth edition of the Taça da Liga, a Portuguese football cup competition organized by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional (LPFP). It was contested by a total of 36 clubs competing in the top two professional tiers of Portuguese football – 18 teams from the 2014–15 Primeira Liga plus 18 non-reserve teams from the 2014–15 Segunda Liga.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro Rebocho</span> Portuguese footballer

    Pedro Miguel Braga Rebocho is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Saudi Pro League club Al-Khaleej.

    The 2016–17 LigaPro was the 27th season of Portuguese football's second-tier league, and the third season under the current LigaPro title. A total of 22 teams competed in this division, including reserve sides from top-flight Primeira Liga teams.

    The 2016–17 Taça da Liga was the tenth edition of the Taça da Liga, a football cup competition organized by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional (LPFP) and contested exclusively by clubs competing in the top two professional tiers of Portuguese football. The competition was sponsored by CTT and, therefore, was known as Taça CTT for a second season.

    The 2016–17 Taça de Portugal was the 77th season of the Taça de Portugal, the premier knockout competition in Portuguese football. It was also known as Taça de Portugal Placard due to sponsorship by sports betting game Placard.

    The 2017–18 Taça da Liga was the eleventh edition of the Taça da Liga, a football cup competition organised by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional (LPFP) and contested exclusively by clubs competing in the top two professional tiers of Portuguese football. It began on 23 July 2017 and concluded on 27 January 2018 with the final at Estádio Municipal de Braga in Braga.

    The 2018–19 Primeira Liga was the 85th season of the Primeira Liga, the top professional league for Portuguese association football clubs. Porto were the defending champions but finished behind Benfica, who became champions for a record 37th time while equalling their own scoring record of 103 goals in the 1963–64 season.

    The 2021–22 season was the 128th season in the existence of FC Porto and the club's 88th consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football. In addition to the domestic league, Porto participated in this season's editions of the Taça de Portugal, the Taça da Liga, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

    The 2021–22 Taça da Liga was the fifteenth edition of the Taça da Liga, a football league cup competition organised by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional and contested exclusively by clubs competing in the top two professional tiers of Portuguese football – the Primeira Liga and the LigaPro. It began on 26 July 2021 and concluded with the final in Leiria on 29 January 2022.

    The 2021–22 Taça de Portugal was the 82nd edition of the Taça de Portugal, the premier knockout competition in Portuguese football. A total of 154 clubs competed in this edition, including all teams from the top four tiers of the Portuguese football league system – excluding reserve or B teams, which are not eligible – and representatives of the fifth-tier District leagues and cups.

    The 2022–23 Taça de Portugal was the 83rd edition of the Taça de Portugal, the premier knockout competition in Portuguese football. A total of 152 clubs competed in this edition, including all teams from the top four tiers of the Portuguese football league system – excluding reserve or B teams, which were not eligible – and representatives of the fifth-tier District leagues and cups.

    The 2022–23 season is the 106th season in the history of S.C.U. Torreense and their first season back in the second division of Portuguese football. The club are participating in the Liga Portugal 2, the Taça de Portugal, and the Taça da Liga. The season covers the period from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Rui Borges (footballer, born 1981)</span> Portuguese football manager (born 1981)

    Rui Manuel Gomes Borges is a Portuguese professional manager and former player who is the manager of Sporting CP.

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 "Alex" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
    2. ↑ "Beira-Mar / Moreirense, 1–2". Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 19 January 2003. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    3. ↑ Palma, Irene (22 August 2003). "«Luisão vai dar mais qualidade à equipa», diz Camacho" ["Luisão will give more quality to the team", says Camacho] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    4. ↑ "Alex: «Objectivo é voltar ao Benfica»" [Alex: "Goal is to return to Benfica"]. Record (in Portuguese). 20 May 2005. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
    5. ↑ "Marítimo-V. Guimarães, 1–2: Alex e amigos dão asas ao sonho europeu" [Marítimo-V. Guimarães, 1–2: Alex and friends give wings to the European dream]. Record (in Portuguese). 19 March 2005. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    6. ↑ "Fußball: VfL Wolfsburg verpflichtet portugiesischen Verteidiger Alex" [Football: VfL Wolfsburg acquire Portuguese defender Alex] (in German). Kicker. 20 August 2005. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
    7. 1 2 Simões de Abreu, Alexandra (31 July 2022). ""Tive um treinador na Alemanha que nos obrigava a correr uma hora na floresta e no fim só dava uma garrafa de água, a dividir por todos"" ["I had a coach in Germany who made us run one hour through the forest and at the end only gave one bottle of water, to be shared by all"]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 17 February 2024.
    8. ↑ "Alex verlässt Wolfsburg in Richtung Portugal" [Alex leaves Wolfsburg towards Portugal] (in German). Goal. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
    9. ↑ "Gémeos falsos" [False twins]. Record (in Portuguese). 13 November 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
    10. ↑ Pereira, António Pedro (5 June 2005). "Portugal à porta do Mundial" [Portugal at the door of the World Cup]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    11. ↑ "Portugal frente à Estónia: Capitão a amenizar uma crise de nervos" [Portugal against Estonia: Captain eased a nervous breakdown]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 June 2005. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    12. ↑ "Estreias com Scolari raramente são a doer" [Debuts with Scolari rarely happen when it matters]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 May 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
    13. ↑ Sousa, Pascoal (3 July 2013). "Alex despediu-se em lágrimas" [Alex said goodbye in tears]. A Bola (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
    14. ↑ "Alex é o novo treinador do Ac. Viseu" [Alex is the new manager of Ac. Viseu] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 20 May 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
    15. ↑ "Académico de Viseu vence Portimonense e começa a época a ganhar" [Académico de Viseu defeat Portimonense and start the season with a win]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 27 July 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    16. ↑ "União da Madeira atira Paços de Ferreira para fora da Taça da Liga" [União da Madeira knock Paços de Ferreira out of the League Cup]. Público (in Portuguese). 29 October 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    17. ↑ "Alex Costa deixa comando do Académico de Viseu" [Alex Costa leaves the helm of Académico de Viseu]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 12 November 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    18. ↑ "Alex Costa assume V. Guimarães B para continuar a "formar jogadores"" [Alex Costa takes over at V. Guimarães B to continue to "shape players"]. Record (in Portuguese). 11 June 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    19. ↑ Ferreira, Bruno José (9 December 2019). "OFICIAL: Alex Costa deixa comando técnico do V. Guimarães B" [OFFICIAL: Alex Costa leaves the helm of V. Guimarães B] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    20. ↑ "Alex Costa deu os parabéns ao novo Presidente pelo seu "grande triunfo"" [Alex Costa gave congratulations to the new President for his "great triumph"] (in Portuguese). Guimarães Digital. 5 March 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    21. ↑ Freitas, Bruno (6 October 2022). "Alex Costa é o novo treinador do Sp. Covilhã" [Alex Costa is the new manager of Sp. Covilhã]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    22. ↑ Freitas, Bruno (25 May 2023). "Alex Costa: «Sp. Covilhã desce por culpa própria, mas com muita gente a ajudar»" [Alex Costa: "Sp. Covilhã is going down by our own fault, but with lots of people helping"]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2023.
    23. ↑ Alex at ForaDeJogo (archived) OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
    24. 1 2 Alex at Soccerway
    25. ↑ "Alex". European Football. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
    This page is based on this Wikipedia article
    Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
    Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.