Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, or simply Pinto da Costa as he was known, died this Saturday, aged 87, after a long battle with prostate cancer. The news of the former FC Porto president’ s death prompted a reaction from many soccer personalities and others, including the Porto City Council (CMP), which decreed a day of municipal mourning.
According to the “Porto.” news portal, the president of the CMP, “decided, by official order, to decree a day of municipal mourning, this Monday, February 17, for the death of the former president of Futebol Clube do Porto (…) and to express deep regret and great sadness at the death of Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa”.
Defining Pinto da Costa as “a fighter”, Rui Moreira highlighted his work and deep dedication to FC Porto, stressing his successful career over more than 40 years, during which “he brought a lot of joy to a lot of people”.
The mayor also recalled that the charismatic former Porto leader:
He profoundly changed the shape of [the city’s ]identity, promoting an] important decentralization of soccer.”
Town Hall lights up in blue and white
As well as decreeing a day of municipal mourning, the City Council decided to pay tribute to the former Dragons president in another way: by illuminating the façade of the Paços do Concelho building in blue and white.
This symbolic moment took place on the evening of Sunday, February 16, and was repeated at dusk on Monday, February 17.
Pinto da Costa’s funeral will take place this morning at 11 a.m. The funeral procession will leave from the Antas Church and pass by the Estádio do Dragão, after which it will go to the Prado do Repouso cemetery .