Name Domingos Martins Career start 1998 Playing position Role Footballer Career end 2013 | 1990–1994 Vitoria Guimaraes Height 1.75 m Position Defender 1994–1995 Ribeira Pena Weight 74 kg | |
Full name Domingos Alexandre Martins Costa Date of birth (1979-09-06) 6 September 1979 (age 36) Number 19 (Vitoria S.C. / Defender) | ||
Place of birth Guimaraes, Portugal | ||
Domingos Alexandre Martins Costa (born 6 September 1979), commonly known as Alex, is a former Portuguese professional footballer who played mainly as a right back, and a current manager.
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Over the course of seven seasons (15 years in total as a professional) he amassed Primeira Liga totals of 170 games and seven goals, mainly at the service of Vitória de Guimarães. He also spent four years in Germany, with Wolfsburg.
Football career
Alex was born in Guimarães. After five seasons, spent at both AD Fafe and Moreirense FC he made his Primeira Liga debuts with S.L. Benfica, mainly deputising for established Miguel. In 2004–05, he served a season-long loan spell at Vitória de Guimarães.
After good performances at Vitória, which earned him a Portugal national team call-up (three matches, including two in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers), Benfica sold Alex to VfL Wolfsburg on the very last days of the summer transfer window. He had a relatively successful debut campaign, but only appeared four times in the Bundesliga in the next three combined (none in the last two).
In late May 2009, Alex signed for former side Vitória de Guimarães on a free transfer. During that first season, he operated mostly as a right back, going on to be fully reconverted to the position in the following years and being an automatic first-choice.
On 3 July 2013, Alex announced his retirement from professional football at the age of nearly 34, immediately starting his managing career with FC Felgueiras in the regional championships.