Vasco Botelho da Costa

Vasco Botelho da Costa
Personal information
Full name Vasco Maria de Albuquerque Botelho da Costa
Date of birth (1989-03-02) 2 March 1989 (age 35)
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

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

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ "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.