Player Profile: Jose Bosingwa  

Full name: Jose Bosingwa da Silva
Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 24 August 1982
Birthplace: Kinshasa, DR Congo

Watching Jose Bosingwa motoring tirelessly up and down the right flank, defending astutely and attacking menacingly, has become a spectacle within a spectacle at FC Porto’s matches over recent seasons. And at just 24 years of age Bosingwa has a collection of silverware that rivals many of Portugal’s better known players.

Born in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, his family moved to Seia in central Portugal while Jose was still a young boy. Playing for local side, Fornos de Algodres, Bosingwa’s skills started to develop. He proved to be ahead of his class and was promptly recruited to join Boavista’s youth academy to further his football education.

Bosingwa quickly became one of the club’s brightest prospects and turned professional in 2000 at 18 years of age. After being loaned out briefly to neighbouring club, Freamunde, the player was recalled by Boavista where he stayed for two seasons making 41 appearances in the Portuguese top flight.

Utility man

His versatility – he was used as a right-back, winger and defensive midfielder by the then coach, Jaime Pacheco – and impressive performances caught the attention of city rivals, FC Porto, and the player was transferred to the Portuguese giants in the summer of 2003.

It was here that the young boy born in the heart of Africa began to get a taste for winner’s medals. Under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho, Bosingwa contributed with a total of 13 appearances during Porto’s memorable 2003/04 season which saw them lift the Portuguese championship and the Champions League title.

Car accident tragedy

But it was not all peaches and cream for the young right-back as tragedy struck that same year. Bosingwa was at the wheel of his jeep when excess speed and wet road conditions led to a serious accident, with the vehicle skidding off the motorway and rolling down an embankment before bursting into flames.

The Porto defender was transporting four other professional footballers as passengers. All escaped alive but one of them, Sandro Luis, had to have his left foot amputated as a result of the accident. As well as having to live with a heavy conscience, Bosingwa’s recklessness fell out of favour with the club where he spent most of the season serving an internally imposed suspension.

The following season Bosingwa got back into the headlines for all the right reasons, reclaiming his spot in the starting XI under Dutch coach, Co Adriaanse, as FC Porto won the domestic double.

Coming of age

However, it was in 2006/07 that Bosingwa truly came of age as his seemingly endless well of energy patrolling the right-hand flank the whole length of the pitch proved a major factor behind’s Porto’s retention of the Portuguese championship.

His magnificent season’s cake received the proverbial cherry topping when he earned his first call-up to the senior Portugal squad just days after Porto had lifted the title.

Chelsea move

Another solid season in 2007/08 saw Bosingwa win another championship medal and become the undisputed Portugal right-back and one of Porto’s hottest properties. It was little surprise therefore when Chelsea splashed out over 20m euros to take the right-back to Stamford Bridge and allowed Bosingwa to “realise a dream I have always had of playing in the Premier League.”