Benni McCarthy breaks down during press conference while mourning former teammate
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Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 06.08.25. | 17:56
The legendary centre-back captained the Portuguese giants to Champions League glory under José Mourinho in 2004 and earned 50 caps for Portugal
Harambee Stars tactician Benni McCarthy, could not contain his tears as he paid tribute to his former teammate Jorge Costa.
On Wednesday, 6 August, during a pre-match press conference at the Kasarani Stadium, emotions overwhelmed McCarthy who broke down while recallig the moments he shared with Costa.
Costa, 53, suffered a cardiac arrest at FC Porto’s training centre on Tuesday, 5 August.
The legendary centre-back captained the Portuguese giants to Champions League glory under José Mourinho in 2004 and earned 50 caps for Portugal.
During his playing career, Costa made 530 appearances in all competitions, including 383 for Porto and 50 for the national team.
Nicknamed “Animal” by teammate Fernando Couto for his no-nonsense defending, Costa was also one of just six players to win five consecutive Portuguese league titles with the club.
He briefly played in the Premier League on loan at Charlton Athletic in 2001–02 before retiring in 2006 and later embarking on a managerial career across 16 clubs.
In April 2024, he returned to Porto as the club’s director of professional football.
In an emotional tribute, McCarthy described Costa as more than just a teammate.
“He was like an elder brother, our leader. He always stood up for everyone. What makes it even sadder is knowing I will not get the chance to say my final goodbyes or share everything I wanted to tell him. But above all, I choose to hold on to the incredible moments we shared,” McCarthy said.
He recalled joining Porto as a young player from Africa and finding in Costa a protective mentor who demanded the best from everyone.
“When I joined Porto, he was the toughest person I had ever met in football. I was just a kid from Africa, and he took me under his wing, looking out for me in so many ways. I have immense respect and admiration for him,” he said.
“We celebrated so many unforgettable moments together, including winning the Portuguese league, the Portuguese Cup, and the Champions League. To think that at such a young age, he is no longer with us is heartbreaking,” he continued.
The heartbreaking news left McCarthy with a lesson to never take the presence of friends for granted.
“We take for granted that people will always be there until something like this happens, and then you wish you had picked up the phone a month earlier, a week earlier, even a day earlier, just to check in and say the kind words you meant to say,” he tearfully said.
Despite his grief, McCarthy said he had to remain professional while leading Harambee Stars in the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
“I was devastated yesterday, but I am at a tournament, managing a team, so I had to bottle it up and keep going, doing my best for the team while dealing with my grief behind closed doors,” he said.
He went on to celebrate Costa as one of the most incredible players he has ever played with, and the best captain anyone could have wished for.
“He will always be part of Porto’s history as the longest-serving and most admired captain. That is the legacy he leaves behind.
I will always cherish that I had the chance to meet him, touch him, and play alongside him. He is not gone, nor forgotten, he lives within each of us. We will carry the best of him in our hearts and try to reflect it in our own lives,” he added.
Amid his grief, McCarthy found a reason to smile as his youngest son, Prince Lio Romero, celebrated his sixth birthday today.
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