Category Sports News

Jorge Costa, a former Porto captain, died at the age of 53 after suffering a cardiac arrest at the training facility.

Under Jose Mourinho’s leadership in 2004 and with the help of the defender, the Portuguese club won 50 Champions League caps.

Costa retired from football in 2006 after spending a season on loan at Charlton in the Premier League.

Before taking up Porto’s director of professional football position last year, the centre-back moved into management and held positions at 16 clubs.

Jorge Costa embodied the values that define FC Porto throughout his life, including dedication, leadership, passion, and an unshakeable spirit of conquest, according to the club. He “fell a lasting impression on fans for generations.”

Before Wednesday’s Champions League third-round match against Feyenoord, Fenerbahce boss Mourinho, who led Costa between 2002 and 2004, held a press conference to express his appreciation for his former captain.

Mourinho said, “If he could speak with me right now, he would say, “Do your press conference, tomorrow play the game, mister, and win the game- forget about me.”

“I’m going to try to do my job today and tomorrow, and then I’ll cry.”

Costa made 324 appearances for the club after graduating from Porto’s academy.

Before leaving in 2005, he won eight titles, including the Champions League, the Uefa Cup, and eight titles in the Primeira Liga.

Costa was referred to as a “legendary captain” by Deco, who also played for Porto’s Champions League winning side.

Portuguese football and FC Porto lose one of its most important symbols, according to Deco’s Instagram post.

“Porto’s spirit and resolve was attested by Jorge Costa. A legendary captain who had a huge impact on us all.

It was a pleasure to share so many titles and joys with you. Your name will remain forever in people’s minds. The entire family extends my condolences. “Bicho,” see you always.

My heartfelt condolences to everyone in your family, said another former team-mate Pepe.

“Your commitment and legacy will always be reflected in FC Porto’s unmatched history of victories.” Jorge Costa, rest in peace.

Costa won the Portuguese Golden Ball, an honor bestowed upon the best player in the league, in 2000.

Costa left Porto for Charlton on loan in 2001 after a disagreement with Octavio Machado, who made 26 appearances.

Former Charlton boss Alan Curbishley praised him as a “fabulous person who always got his point across.”

“Everyone praised him because of his skill,” he said. He was a fantastic student.

Costa left Braga in the beginning of his managerial career, according to the club, who claimed that his departure “has shaken the entire national sporting community.”

Raga “can’t help but feel the depths of grief that his family, his friends, and the entire FC Porto organization feel,” the club added on X.

Costa led teams in Romania, Cyprus, Tunisia, India, and Gabon after stints with Braga, Olhanense, and Academica in Portugal.

The Hundred women’s competition, Lord’s

London Spirit 176-5 (100 balls): Harris 89* (42); Kapp 2-23

Oval Invincibles 159-4 (100 balls): Lanning 85 (51); Wong 2-26

Spirit won by 17 runs

Grace Harris hit a stunning unbeaten 89 from 42 balls as London Spirit began their title defence with a boundary-laden 17-run win over Oval Invincibles in The Hundred.

The Australian put on 100 with Cordelia Griffith, who made 50 from 29 balls, as Spirit posted 176-5 – their highest total in the women’s competition – at Lord’s.

Facing a daunting chase, Invincibles lost captain Lauren Winfield-Hill second ball but regrouped with former Australia skipper Meg Lanning leading the charge.

Despite a 77-run third-wicket stand with Marizanne Kapp and Lanning’s stunning 85 from 51 balls giving them a glimmer of hope, Invincibles came up just short on 159-4.

Harris came in 28 balls into the innings with Spirit 40-2 and Griffith having already showing plenty of positive intent.

The 31-year-old, back with Spirit after a previous stint in 2023, soon joined in – clubbing Australia team-mate Amanda-Jade Wellington for six fourth ball.

She continued to attack Wellington but that almost proved her downfall as she offered a chance at long-off on 22 but the catch went down – an error duly punished by Harris.

The half-century came up from 28 balls – Spirit’s second quickest in The Hundred – and while Griffith fell the ball after matching that feat, Harris powered on.

Back-to-back sixes off Sophia Smale followed and Tash Farrant – who claimed two wickets on her return to the franchise tournament after injury ruled her out of the past three editions – received the same treatment.

Invincibles managed to keep her off strike late in the innings to deny Harris the chance of a century but her six sixes equalled the competition record for an individual innings and took Spirit to a formidable total.

For much of the chase it looked as though Spirit would defend the runs with ease but a magnificent knock from Lanning, assisted by Kapp, kept it interesting.

Even after Issy Wong bowled Kapp with a fine yorker, Lanning kept going and hit a series of towering sixes over the leg side.

It’s up to Old Trafford on Wednesday as Manchester Originals take on Southern Brave in another double-header.

Former Porto captain Jorge Costa has died aged 53 after having a cardiac arrest at the club’s training centre, the Portuguese side has confirmed.

The defender led Porto to Champions League glory under manager Jose Mourinho in 2004 and won 50 caps for Portugal.

Costa spent a season on loan at Charlton in the Premier League in 2001-02 and retired from playing in 2006.

The centre-back moved into management and held positions at 16 clubs before taking up the role of Porto’s director of professional football last season.

“Throughout his life, both on and off the pitch, Jorge Costa embodied the values that define FC Porto: dedication, leadership, passion and an unshakeable spirit of conquest,” the club said. “He left his mark on generations of fans.”

Costa graduated from Porto’s academy and went on to make 324 appearances for the club.

He won 24 trophies before leaving in 2005, including the Champions League, Uefa Cup and eight Primeira Liga titles.

In 2000, Costa won the Portuguese Golden Ball – an award handed out to the league’s best player.

“A seismic legal confrontation between players and Fifa.”

The view of former Fulham midfielder-turned-lawyer Udo Onwere when asked to assess the significance of the compensation claim launched against Fifa this week on behalf of current and former professional footballers over transfer rules.

On Monday, Dutch foundation Justice for Players (JFP) said it had started a class action lawsuit against the sport’s world governing body, along with the football associations of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.

It argues that 100,000 footballers playing in Europe since 2002 could have lost income as a result of “unlawful” Fifa regulations, and that “preliminary analysis” shows that damages could amount to several billion pounds.

The case is the result of last year’s ruling by the highest European court that Fifa regulations over some football transfers broke EU laws.

In October, the European Court of Justice (CJEU) found in favour of former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Lassana Diarra after he argued some of the rules restricted his freedom of movement and breached competition law, and sued Fifa.

“This class action could rewrite the rules governing player mobility across the global football industry” says Onwere, who is now a partner at law firm Bray and Krais.

“What distinguishes this case from previous skirmishes with the governing body is its sheer scale and complexity… The outcome of this litigation could usher in a new era of transfer regulations and governance – one where contractual stability is balanced with player autonomy.

“It could prove to be as transformational as the landmark 1995 Bosman ruling.”

Such a comparison is notable, because JFP is being advised by Diarra’s Belgian lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont, who also won the landmark 1995 case at the CJEU on behalf of ex-player Jean-Marc Bosman.

That ruling dramatically changed the sport, meaning footballers could choose to run down their contracts and move clubs on a free transfer, with teams no longer able to demand compensation for out-of-contract players.

Thirty years on, some now believe this latest case could result in players being able to terminate their own contracts, without paying compensation, before those deals come to an end.

Last year, the CJEU said that, by refusing to provide Diarra with an international transfer certificate (ITC) for a proposed move to Belgian club Charleroi in 2015 after he was found to have breached his contract with Lokomotiv Moscow (for which he was ordered to pay £8.4m to the Russian club and suspended), Fifa showed that its rules “impede the free movement of professional footballers wishing to develop their activity by going to work for a new club”.

Diarra’s lawyers contested the Fifa rule which makes a club wishing to sign a player jointly liable for compensation to a player’s old club, and at risk of sporting sanctions, in cases where the player’s previous contract was terminated without just cause.

They also challenged a rule which allows the national association of a player’s former club to withhold an ITC where there was a dispute, which they said also hindered the move.

The court ruled that Fifa should not be able to use the ITC system to prevent players who have breached a contract from moving and working where they choose.

At the time Fifa said it had been “continuously improving” the transfer system “for the benefit of players, clubs, leagues and member associations, to ensure that players can train, be developed and have stability, while safeguarding the integrity of competitions by implementing a robust regulatory framework for the international transfer system”.

It then adapted its transfer regulations on an interim basis, but accepted they could be open to challenge.

Lucia Melcherts, the chair of JFP, said: “All professional football players have lost a significant amount of earnings due to the unlawful Fifa regulations. In any other profession, people are allowed to change jobs voluntarily. The same should be true in football, particularly as the average career span of a professional footballer according to a FIFPro study is only eight years long.”

“FIFA will find it difficult to put forward a robust defence to these claims in the face of a clear decision by the CJEU in the Diarra case that there was anti-competitive behaviour over several years”, says Daniel Gore, an arbitration lawyer at Withers.

“The anticipated floodgate of claims has commenced, and Fifa’s finances could take a huge hit at a time they are flying high after the expanded Club World Cup this year and World Cup in 2026.”

In a statement, the European division of global players’ union Fifpro, which backed Diarra’s case, said the action “represents the anticipated practical response” to the CJEU ruling, “effectively centralising advocacy for affected players’ interests that have broad implications for the football industry”.

It said it would “thoroughly assess” the foundation’s move, adding it “will always support fair compensation for affected players whose rights were breached, while driving meaningful reform towards inclusive governance structures in international football.

“This approach aims to shield past, current and future generations of players from unilateral and arbitrary decision-making processes that undermine or harm fundamental workers’ rights and fair competition.”

According to head coach David Gray, Hibernian have signed “strong, robust” Scotland defender Grant Hanley for a two-year deal.

Birmingham City brokered the 33-year-old’s short-term contract with the English League One winners earlier this summer.

The centre-back will play until the summer of 2027 after watching last week’s Europa League qualifying defeat by Midtjylland at Easter Road.

“It’s great to have Grant with us,” said Gray.

He has consistently performed at the top of his career and has a genuine desire to compete in the best conditions in his home country.

He can play any role across our back three, according to the author. A player with his experience will be very valuable to the team because he is a true leader both on and off the field. Working with him is something I’m looking forward to.

Since making his debut against Wales in 2011, the Dumfries-born centre-back has scored twice in those 62 appearances.

Aimee Maguire, an Ireland spinner, has received a bang for her part in international cricket.

The 18-year-old was suspended in February after the sport’s officials declared her bowling practice against India in Rajkot on January 10 to be against the law.

On January 21, Maguire received a bowling assessment at Loughborough, England’s ICC-accredited testing facility.

The ICC imposed a suspension after the bowling assessment determined that “her bowling action exceeds the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted.”

Following remedial work and re-assessment, the ICC determined on Tuesday that Maguire’s bowling action was “found to be legal,” allowing her to resume her international career.

According to the report, “An independent evaluation of Maguire’s remodelled bowling action at an ICC-accredited testing center determined that the elbow extension was within the 15-degree range.”

The teen, who took 25 wickets across formats for Ireland, made her 2023 international debut.

Gaby Lewis, Ireland captain, stated that she has “no doubt” that Maguire will “pick up where she left off” when she rejoins the squad.

She and management have worked so hard over the past seven or eight months to improve her behavior and mental health, Lewis said.

She worked so hard, is in a great position, and just needs some games to get her under control, she said. “It was a big hit, but it knocked her confidence.

Friday, 8 August, 16:00 BST, Ireland Women vs. Pakistan Women