António Simões da Costa (born 14 December 1943), known as Simões, is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a left winger. He spent 14 professional seasons with Benfica, playing 449 official games and scoring 72 goals. In the late 1970s and early 1980s he represented several teams in the United States, and subsequently worked as a manager in both continents. Simões played more than 40 times for Portugal, including appearing at the 1966 World Cup.

Club career

Benfica

Born in Corroios, Seixal, Setúbal District, Simões joined S.L. Benfica when he was 15, and was already an important first-team member just two years later, being part of the squads that won ten Primeira Liga championships and one European Cup. In the 1962 final of the latter competition, a 5–3 win against Real Madrid, he became the youngest ever player to conquer the tournament, at 18 years and four months. Simões left Benfica at the end of the 1974–75 season after winning his last league. He contributed 26 scoreless matches in the process.

United States

Simões moved to the United States at the age of 32, signing with the Boston Minutemen of the North American Soccer League. He spent two seasons in the city before moving to the San Jose Earthquakes in 1976, and subsequently the Dallas Tornado. In 1979, Simões joined Major Indoor Soccer League club Detroit Lightning. After one season he moved to the Chicago Horizon, before finishing his career with the Kansas City Comets; he returned twice to his country during the off-season period, briefly representing G.D. Estoril Praia and U.F.C.I. Tomar. Immediately after quitting football, Simões was hired as coach of the Phoenix Inferno of the MISL. He was dismissed in March 1984 and replaced by Ted Podleski, joining the Las Vegas Americans as assistant to Alan Mayer afterwards and also leaving in January 1985; in 1989, he was the SISL indoor season coach of the year with the Austin Sockadillos.

International career

Simões made his debut with the Portugal national team on 6 May 1962, in a 2–1 friendly defeat to Brazil in São Paulo. He was a member of the squad that finished third in the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England, scoring the first goal in the group stage opener against the same opponent (3–1 win). The recipient of 46 caps with three goals, Simões missed the Brazil Independence Cup due to injury. He made his last appearance on 13 October 1973, in a 2–2 home draw against Bulgaria for the 1974 World Cup qualifiers. Simões joined Iran's coaching staff in April 2011, acting as assistant to compatriot Carlos Queiroz. He left in February 2014, for personal reasons.

Style of play

A diminutive winger known for his above-average skills, creativity and crossing, able to play with both feet, Simões holds the record of youngest player (18 years and 139 days old) to play and win a European Cup final, when he appeared for Benfica against Real Madrid on 2 May 1962.

Honours

Benfica Portugal