Ten years ago, Helena Costa briefly made an impression by becoming the first woman to be approached to coach a professional men’s team, when Clermont Foot bet on her. But this adventure quickly ended, due to internal tensions and a lack of support. Despite this failure, Helena Costa was able to bounce back and chart her path with determination. Today, she turns this page with serenity and smiles at the past.
Since this tumultuous period, the Portuguese woman has built a rich and inspiring career, punctuated by significant successes. Among them, his role as a scout for Eintracht Frankfurt, which won the Europa League in 2022, remains one of the most notable moments of his career. “This title against Glasgow Rangers is probably the most impactful experience of my career,” she confides. But beyond the trophies, it is his desire to explore new horizons and to change mentalities that has guided his trajectory.
Before shining on the European scene, Helena Costa had already made an impression in more atypical contexts. She notably managed women’s teams in Qatar and Iran, where she worked to develop women’s football. “No one knew about the existence of a women’s team in Qatar when I arrived. I went to schools and universities to recruit players,” she explained. Her commitment to the emancipation of women through sport demonstrates her desire to break down barriers.
A TROPHY
After having cut her teeth in men’s football as a scout and scout leader in prestigious clubs like Watford or Eintracht Frankfurt, she has just been appointed sports director of Estoril, a Portuguese first division club. An unprecedented position for a woman in professional men’s football, which confirms her status as a pioneer. Helena Costa now hopes to pave the way for other women and prove that skill takes precedence over gender.
AN ADVANCE FOR FOOTBALL
For her, each stage of her career has been an opportunity to push the boundaries and show that opportunities exist for everyone, as long as they dare to seize them. “I have always been judged on my skills, not my gender, like a doctor or a manager,” she says. But she also insists on the importance of continuing to promote women’s football, an area that she still holds close to her heart.
At 46, Helena Costa continues to aim high, with the ambition to advance men’s football while remaining a staunch defender of women’s football. His appointment at Estoril is further proof of his growing influence in a world which, little by little, is opening up to greater diversity and inclusion.
