Players and former players from FC Porto, such as Pepe, Iker Casillas, Deco, and Diogo Costa, along with their former coach José Mourinho, took to social media this Saturday to bid farewell to the club’s former president, Jorge Pinto da Costa, who passed away at 87 after battling cancer. All of them paid tribute to the man who led Porto for more than four decades, from 1982 to 2024.

Farewell Messages on Social Media

Iker Casillas, who spent the last five years of his career at Porto, shared a picture on Instagram with Pinto da Costa, writing: "A sad day for all of us who love @fcporto." He added: "My deepest condolences to President Pinto da Costa’s family. Rest in peace."

Brazilian defender Pepe, who ended his playing career last August following Pinto da Costa’s departure from the club, posted a photo with the former president and wrote: "Leader, friend, noble, indomitable, and loyal." He continued: "Goodbye, dear friend. Goodbye, eternal president."

Meanwhile, coach José Mourinho, who managed Porto between 2002 and 2004, recalled some words the former president once told him on Instagram: "Mourinho, you were the coach who brought me the most joy." The current Fenerbahçe manager also remembered their last meeting last summer in Porto, where he expressed how honored he felt to be part of his legacy.

Deco, the Portuguese-Brazilian former player who played for Porto from 1999 to 2004, highlighted that "today, football lost one of its greatest leaders." He also stated: "I lost someone who was much more than a president; he was a friend. Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, the greatest and most successful president in football history, believed in me and opened the doors of Porto for me."

An Unforgettable Legacy at Porto

Alavés forward Toni Martínez, who played for Porto until last August, posted a photo with Pinto da Costa on X, alongside the message: "Goodbye, dear president. Thank you for everything. Rest in peace." Pinto da Costa was the longest-serving club president in the world, holding the position for 42 years, and also the most decorated, with around 2,500 trophies across various sports. Under his leadership, Porto won 23 Portuguese league titles, two Champions Leagues, 15 Portuguese Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, and 22 domestic Super Cups, among other honors.