Daniel Paulista was born in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, and started his career at hometown club Comercial.

In 2004, Daniel Paulista was deemed surplus to requirements by new head coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo, and was released on 6 July of that year.

In September 2008, after winning the year's Copa do Brasil, Daniel Paulista moved abroad for the first time of his career, after agreeing to a four-year deal with Romanian Liga I club FC Rapid București for a € 800,000 fee.

[9] On 17 September of the following year, as Baptista left for Fluminense, he was named interim head coach until the arrival of Paulo Roberto Falcão.

[10] On 13 October 2016, Daniel was appointed as first team coach until the end of the year, replacing Oswaldo de Oliveira.