Alex (footballer, born 1979)

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 manager of S.C. Covilhã.

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Martins and the second or paternal family name is Costa.
Alex
Personal information
Full name Domingos Alexandre Martins da Costa[1]
Date of birth (1979-09-06) 6 September 1979[1]
Place of birth Guimarães, Portugal[1]
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Wing-back
Team information
Current team
 Covilhã (manager)
Youth career
1990–1994 Vitória Guimarães
1994–1995 Ribeira Pena
1995–1998 Vitória Guimarães
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (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)
Total 295 (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
2022– Covilhã
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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 Germany, with VfL Wolfsburg of the Bundesliga.

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 win at 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 win away to 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).

In late May 2009, Alex signed with former club Vitória de Guimarães on a free transfer.[7] 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.[8]

International

Alex earned three caps for Portugal under Luiz Felipe Scolari in 2005. His debut was on 4 June in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier at home to Slovakia, starting in a 2–0 win at the Estádio da Luz, followed four days later by a 1–0 win away to Estonia.[9][10][11]

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.[12] 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.[13]

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;[14] his team lost the second round 5–4 on aggregate to C.F. Os Belenenses after winning the first leg 3–1.[15] He left by mutual consent on 12 November with his team one point above the relegation zone after 16 games of the season.[16]

After three years in charge of the under-19 team, Alex succeeded Vítor Campelos at Vitória de Guimarães B in June 2018.[17] The team were relegated to the third tier after his first season, and he was dismissed on 9 December 2019 while in sixth place.[18]

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;[19] he then replaced Leonel Pontes as manager of S.C. Covilhã on 6 October.[20] His team were relegated, ending a 15-year spell in division two.[21]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[22][23]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Fafe 1998–99 17010———180
1999–00 27871———349
2000–01 31800———318
Total 751681———8317
Moreirense 2001–02 27520———295
2002–03 30320———323
Total 57840———618
Benfica 2003–04 14030—20—190
2005–06 00———0000
Total 14030—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
Total 21010—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
Total 9501607040101230
Vitória Guimarães B 2012–13 10————10
Career total 2952835170601034429

    International
    Appearances and goals by national team and year[24]
    National teamYearAppsGoals
    Portugal 200530
    Total30

    Honours

    Moreirense

    Benfica

    Vitória Guimarães

    References
    1. "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. "«Luisão vai dar mais qualidade à equipa», diz Camacho" ["Luisão will give more quality to the team", says Camacho] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 22 August 2003. 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. "Alex verlässt Wolfsburg in Richtung Portugal" [Alex leaves Wolfsburg towards Portugal] (in German). Goal. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
    8. "Gémeos falsos" [False twins]. Record (in Portuguese). 13 November 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
    9. 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.
    10. "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.
    11. "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.
    12. 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.
    13. "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.
    14. "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.
    15. "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.
    16. "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.
    17. "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.
    18. 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.
    19. "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.
    20. 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.
    21. 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.
    22. Alex at ForaDeJogo (archived)
    23. Alex at Soccerway
    24. "Alex". European Football. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
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