In 1991, playing for Portuguesa, he won the Copa São Paulo de Juniores, and was elected the competition's best player.

[3] In 1989, he was promoted to Portuguesa's first team squad, where he stayed until 1993, playing 47 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A matches, and scoring seven goals.

[4] In 1993, Corinthians failed to sign him, and then he was loaned to Grêmio of Porto Alegre,[3] where he won the Rio Grande do Sul State Championship,[2] and played four Copa do Brasil matches in that year.

[5] Dener played two matches for the Brazil national team, managed by Paulo Roberto Falcão.

The car's driver was Dener's friend, Otto Gomes de Miranda, who lost both legs in the accident.