Vasco Botelho da Costa
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Vasco Maria de Albuquerque Botelho da Costa | ||
| Date of birth | 2 March 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Lisbon, Portugal | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Alverca | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| 2022–2024 | União Leiria | ||
| 2024– | Alverca | ||
Vasco Maria de Albuquerque Botelho da Costa (born 2 March 1989) is a Portuguese football manager, currently in charge of F.C. Alverca.
After winning two league and cup titles each with Estoril's under-23 side, he was hired at União Leiria in 2022 and won Liga 3 in his first season, ending the club's 11 years outside the professional leagues. In 2024, he was hired by Alverca.
Career
[edit]Born in Lisbon, Botelho da Costa was raised in Alcabideche in neighbouring Cascais. He coached at local G.D.S. Cascais before moving to local G.D. Estoril Praia as under-17 manager, then under-19 in 2019. A year later he was appointed in charge of the under-23 team, winning the national league and cup in the age bracket twice each.[1]
On 28 June 2022, 33-year-old Botelho da Costa was given his first head coach job in senior football, at U.D. Leiria in Liga 3, having not reached an agreement with S.C. Braga B.[2] He led the club to promotion back to the professional leagues after 11 years away, securing their place on 29 April with a 1–0 home win over Braga B themselves;[3] on 20 May his side won by the same score against C.F. Os Belenenses to take the league title.[4]
In 2023–24, Botelho da Costa led Leiria to the quarter-finals of the Taça de Portugal for the first time in 21 years, before a 3–0 home loss to Sporting CP on 7 February.[5] On 20 March he left by mutual consent, with the club in 12th place after 26 games in Liga Portugal 2.[6]
On 3 September 2024, Botelho da Costa was hired at F.C. Alverca also in the second tier, succeeding Zé Pedro.[7] On his debut 12 days later he won 2–1 away to C.S. Marítimo, keeping up his record of always winning on his debut, including in youth football; furthermore it was his club's first win in a professional league since 22 May 2005, 7,027 days earlier.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Cascalense Vasco Botelho da Costa conduz Alverca à vitória passados 7.057 dias" [Cascais native Vasco Botelho da Costa drives Alverca to victory after 7,057 days] (in Portuguese). Notícias de Cascais. 17 September 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ Paulo, Joaquim (28 June 2022). "Vasco Botelho da Costa é o novo treinador da U. Leiria" [Vasco Botelho da Costa is the new manager of U. Leiria]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ "União de Leiria sobe à II Liga e volta aos campeonatos profissionais onze anos depois" [União de Leiria rise to II League and return to professional championships after eleven years]. Região de Leiria (in Portuguese). 29 April 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ "Treinador da U. Leiria agradece aos adeptos e já pensa na próxima temporada" [U. Leiria manager thanks fans and is already thinking of next season]. Record (in Portuguese). 20 May 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ "Vasco Botelho da Costa: "Estamos felizes por regressar a estes palcos, o clube quer estar em patamares mais altos"" [Vasco Botelho da Costa: "We are happy to return to these stages, the club wants to be in higher places"]. Expresso (in Portuguese). 7 February 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ "OFICIAL: Vasco Botelho da Costa deixa comando da U. Leiria" [OFFICIAL: Vasco Botelho da Costa leaves the helm of U. Leiria] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ "OFICIAL: Vasco Botelho da Costa é o novo treinador do Alverca" [OFFICIAL: Vasco Botelho da Costa is the new manager of Alverca] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.