Mourinho considers his student who just died suddenly to be a more worthy leader than Terry

Jorge Costa has just passed away at the age of 53 and coach Jose Mourinho will be one of the most mourners.

Mourinho considers Costa a worthy leader

Jose Mourinho has worked with many football legends - from John Terry at Chelsea, Javier Zanetti at Inter Milan to Iker Casillas at Real Madrid. But in that long list of famous captains, there is a name that is not as famous, but has a special place in the heart of the "Special One": Jorge Costa - former Porto captain.

In a 2022 interview, Mourinho recalled an unforgettable memory with Costa - a testament to the difference between a captain and a true leader: "There are captains I have worked with but they are not leaders. But at Porto, I had Jorge Costa."

Mourinho recalled a match in which Porto were trailing 0-2 at half-time to Belenenses. As he was about to storm into the dressing room in a rage, Costa suddenly stopped him: “Wait outside for two minutes.”

The Portuguese centre-back then slammed the door, single-handedly shouting, inspiring and galvanising his team. When Mourinho stepped in, he was left to strategise. Porto came back to win 3-2, with Costa - who had barely scored - scoring twice.

“A captain and a leader are two very different things,” Mourinho concluded. “You cannot buy a leader. You cannot create them in a laboratory. But if you have a leader like that in your squad, your team will always be one step ahead.”

Jorge Costa was Mourinho's "shadow deputy" during his magical journey at Porto, helping to shape the identity and internal cohesion. Under Costa's leadership and Mourinho's tactical skills, Porto not only won the Portuguese championship but also made a miracle in the 2004 Champions League - a title that put Mourinho on the map of top European football.

When Mourinho left Porto for Chelsea, Costa could not hide his regret. But he never hesitated to praise his old teacher. In a later interview, Costa affirmed: "Mourinho is number 1, he has everything."

Mourinho's success at Porto has come not just from tactics, but also from his ability to find - and trust - individuals like Jorge Costa. A man who may not be globally renowned, but is a true leader at the back.

Source: https://znews.vn/mourinho-coi-hoc-tro-vua-dot-tu-dang-mat-thu-linh-hon-ca-terry-post1574505.html