Champions League 2023/24 | Deco, the star of European champion Porto who is now Laporta’s right-hand man – Eurosport

The recent history of Barcelona appears linked to Porto, since it was against the Portuguese club, on November 16, 2003, when Leo Messi made his debut with the Blaugrana shirt. But that friendly match will not only be remembered for the first participation of what today is without a doubt the best footballer in culé history.

At the visit of Do Dragao sparked interest in Anderson de Souza Deco, then star of a team coached by José Mourinho that that same season would be proclaimed European champion. The Portuguese midfielder, born in Brazil, He ended up arriving in Barcelona in 2004/05 and he was one of the pillars of Barça with Ronaldinho on the pitch, Frank Rijkaard on the bench and Joan Laporta, in his first stage, in the box.

Deco played a total of 161 games with Barcelonaspread over four seasons (2004-2008), scoring 20 goals and achieving of the Leagues (2005 y 2006), two Spanish Super Cups y the 2006 Champions League, in which the Blaugrana team beat Arsenal 2-1 in the final in Saint-Denis. In 2008 he signed for Chelsea and after two seasons he emigrated to Brazil, where he ended his career as a footballer in 2013.

Old friend of Jorge Mendes, both met in 1997, he realized then that he had always liked the topic of representation. She entered that world through Gestifute, the agency of the famous Portuguese representative, but soon she was going to create her own under the name of D20 Sports Management.

Precisely, his most famous move as an agent was with Barcelona involved, since took Raphinhafootballer whom he represents, to sign for the Blaugrana club in 2022 from Leeds United. Deco, specialized in Brazilian football, facilitated an operation that closed at 65 million euros for a player desired by half of Europe.

But his relationship with Barça was going to take a step further and last summer, Joan Laporta announced him as the new sports director after the final goodbye of Mateu Alemany, with whom the former Portuguese footballer had already been working side by side to plan this season. Deco has thus become a man of total confidence in the club.